Live Like You Were Dying
by kazeko-chan
Summary: Something horrible happened sixtyseven years after Power Rangers in Space, and now three of the original Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers have gone back in time to save the future. ch18 posted
1. Ranger Reunion

**Live Like You Were Dying**

**Title:** Live Like You Were Dying  
**Author:** kazeko  
**Show: **Power Rangers  
**Rating:** R  
**Chapters: **?  
**Series:** no, also no relation to "Children of the Gods"  
**Multipart:** yes  
**Time:** About a year after Power Rangers in Space  
**Couple(s):** Tommy/Kimberly, Jason/Kat, Tanya/Adam  
**Disclaimer:** Saban and Disney own Power Rangers and they don't deserve it if they won't release MMPR on DVD!  
**Disclaimer 2:** I own everything else, including characters, other planets, and the plot.  
**AN:** It was really strange--a week ago I had this really vivid dream about the Power Rangers and this was it. I have only added a few names and details to the dream, but any confusion or time jumps are deliberate because they were in my dream and they kinda fit. Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 1: Ranger Reunion

* * *

He sat on the bluff, watching as a tall man in a white shirt with mahogany hair waved goodbye to his uncle one last time and jumped into his jeep, speeding away to a hidden town in the distance, noted only for its conception of the world-famous Power Rangers so many years before. He watched the vehicle speed away, smiling as he remembered that young man, so hopeful, but in so much pain. There was still pain, but a different type, and there had been decades of happiness. Nothing wonderful lasts forever, but pain never goes away.

"That's a very depressing thought, my love."

He smiled at her, loving her so much at that moment, knowing that she was suffering. Every minute of every day she suffered and there was nothing he could do about it. Except love her and be there for her. "I'm getting old, Beautiful. Sometimes it's all I've got. Especially now."

"Shhh," she soothed, resting her head on his shoulder. "You promised not to think about it. We're here to change all of that."

"You're right, of course." They looked up at the same instant as their partner appeared, dark brown hair longer than it had been in his youth, ears pointed from decades of power peeking out from under his curls. "You're late, Bro."

"There's been a problem." She sat up straighter, brown eyes wide as the second man bit his lip, tears in his eyes. "It's about the baby."

"No . . ."

* * *

"Tanya?"

"Aisha!!" Tanya squealed as she embraced the woman who had given up her place on the team for her. "How have you been?"

"God, Vet School is torture. You would not believe how much random stuff there is to memorize! I mean, every single bone in a cat's body? It's nice to be home for the summer. How are you and Adam? Working on that family yet?"

Tanya blushed, her dark cheeks darkening, as she helped Aisha gather her bags and led her to the guest room. "Come on, Aisha. You know we're still young."

"Being a Power Ranger has this annoying habit of making us grow up too fast. Most seventeen-year-olds don't have to make life-and-death decisions on a daily basis. I'm kind of glad that you all retired."

"Me, too, a little. I mean, I liked saving the world and stuff, but it's nice not to have to listen for Zordon's signal." She paused, wiping a tear from her eye as she placed the bag on the empty bed. "I miss him."

"He did what he had to do, Tanya. It's nobody's fault. We couldn't have gotten rid of so much evil by sacrificing ourselves, but we would have in a second if we could. He was just a Power Ranger without a body. When he got his chance to change the world, he took it."

"Tommy took it pretty badly," the third Yellow Ranger whispered. She picked up one of Aisha's pictures, one of the group at the Youth Center. Tommy was white back then, smiling, his chestnut-haired girlfriend nestled securely in his arms, Adam glaring at Rocky as the sneaky second Red Ranger pilfered a fry, Billy's nose buried in a manual of some sort, Aisha smiling at the camera. "I know I wasn't a Ranger for that long, not like Tommy, but I always knew that the teams weren't the same. Every new incarnation of the Power Rangers was different—new zords, new colors, new powers, new people. How many different teams were there?"

"Let me think. First there were the original five Rangers; then Tommy as the Green Ranger joined; then Tommy turned white and became the leader; then Jason, Trini, and Zack had to leave; then Kimberly left and gave Kat her coin; then Billy and I left during the Zeo Quest."

"Yeah. Then the rest of us went Turbo and gained Justin when Rocky left. Seven teams here in Angel Grove. Then the Space Rangers gave Zordon his chance and now he's gone. Everything's changed so much."

"We need a reunion or something. All of the Power Rangers who can make it. I'll bet we could dig most of them up." Aisha placed her picture beside the one of Tanya with the Zeo Rangers. "I don't know any of the Space Rangers . . ."

"I wouldn't know how to get in contact with them, anyway. But we could get most of the first seven teams except for Billy."

"What about Kimberly? Would she come?"

Tanya hung the last of Aisha's clothes in the closet and led her friend downstairs, digging in the cabinet for something remotely edible. "I don't know. None of us have spoken to her since . . . I mean, Zack and Trini keep in contact with Jason, and Adam and I see him and Rocky at least twice a week. Sometimes Kat will call me from London and Tommy will call Jason from wherever he is that week, but I don't think anyone ever talks to Kimberly. Unless you do?"

"I don't. I never really told her that I stayed in Africa, and she might not know that I left Angel Grove or the team at all."

"Is she still in Florida? We could try to call her . . ."

"Yeah, she's in Florida." Both women turned at the voice, smiling as Jason sauntered into the kitchen, lengthening hair pulled back out of his way. He and Rocky owned and operated the Red Phoenix Dojo in town, the name a reminder of the Ranger color they shared and the rebirth of all Rangers into new incarnations. "How are you doing, Aisha? How's Africa?"

"Nothing like Angel Grove." The three sat down at the table as Tanya found some bread and meat, placing them and the appropriate condiments on the table so her guests could slap a sandwich together. She also managed to find three glasses and welcomed Jason and Aisha to the tea she had brewed the day before, claiming that at least it wasn't poison. Rocky, who had driven Jason to Tanya's apartment, huffed up the stairs a few minutes later, having had to park the car, and dove for the food. Adam, who lived in the next apartment, always visited Tanya, and swelled the group to five, and Aisha finally asked Jason about Kimberly.

"I wandered over to Florida last month to see how she was doing. She's an assistant coach in her own right now, and she really enjoys teaching gymnastics. It was kind of strange, though. You remember the gold she got in the Pan-Globals and her medals from the Olympics? She has them buried in a box in the back of her closet. It's like she doesn't want to think about them."

"Maybe she just ran out of space," Rocky smiled. "I'm sure if she had someone to show them to she'd have them out." He paused to take a bite and gather his thoughts. "That idea you girls mentioned about a Ranger Reunion sounds pretty great. I'm sure Kimberly would come."

"Actually, Trini suggested the same thing when I spoke to her last week. She and Zack are coming back to Angel Grove sometime later this week and she wanted to see all of her friends and the Rangers she never met. She asked me about Kimberly, but I couldn't give her any answer. She seems happy enough, but there's a light missing from her eyes. I know we're not teenagers anymore, but she's not the same happy person I knew all those years ago."

"Maybe it was the letter," Adam whispered, some of his old guilt surfacing. No matter how many times Tanya tried to comfort him, he was still guilty about the letter. After all, he read it to Tommy, and it hurt almost as much as seeing his friend go through the pain of losing the only woman he ever really loved.

A sharp knock on the door interrupted the group, and Tanya shrugged. "It's open," she called. The door swung open to reveal Tommy, the former Green-White-Red Ranger, smiling, dressed in the white he liked the most.

"Hey. Look who I found at the airport." He pushed the door open a little more, and the first Black and Yellow Rangers stood there, grinning. They were enveloped in hugs and effusive greetings by the later Rangers, and all dark thoughts were banished for the moment. As the group helped Zack and Trini stow their stuff and polished off the food, Tanya led the ex-Rangers to her living room.

"Tommy, what is it?"

The former leader shook his head, the hair on the back of his neck standing on end. He was frozen in the middle of the room, staring at nothing, all of his instincts screaming at him. "I'm not sure . . . it feels like we're being watched."

A flash of silver-white-red light in the center of the room confirmed his suspicions and Tommy leapt back, falling into a defensive posture as the other Rangers also shot to their feet. The glow faded and gasps of shock and disbelief filled the room. "Oh my god . . ." Aisha whispered. No one else could speak.

The leader of the three grinned. "Hey, guys. How've you been?"

* * *

To Be Continued: tell me what you think


	2. Choices

**Live Like You Were Dying**

**Title:** Live Like You Were Dying  
**Author:** kazeko  
**Show: **Power Rangers  
**Rating:** R  
**Chapters: **?  
**Series:** no, also no relation to "Children of the Gods"  
**Multipart:** yes  
**Time:** About a year after Power Rangers in Space, changing the Power Rangers timeline after that  
**Couple(s):** Tommy/Kimberly, Jason/Kat, Tanya/Adam  
**Disclaimer:** Saban and Disney own Power Rangers and they don't deserve it if they won't release MMPR on DVD!  
**Disclaimer 2:** I own everything else, including characters, other planets, and the plot.  
**Author's Note:** I know this is going to be really confusing, so here's some help. The first part of this chapter happens immediately before the first chapter and the second part of this chapter occurs one year before the first chapter. Things will become more clear, I swear.

* * *

Chapter 2: Choices

* * *

Kat smiled at her fellow performers as she closed the door of her dressing-room, leaning against the wood and sighing. Though dancing usually thrilled her, tonight there was no joy, no excitement. She realized that she missed her friends, her real friends, the people she suffered and fought evil with in High School. She missed the Power Rangers.

It wasn't like she hadn't kept in touch; she had, but they were eight time zones away and actually talking to one of her friends was expensive and difficult. Letters were fine, as far as they went, but she wanted to see them, to ask them how they'd been, to admire and envy the romance between Tanya and Adam. She did envy them their love, but she would never do anything to hurt them. Just because she was denied her happy ending didn't mean that her friends shouldn't get a reward for all of their hard work. She let her thoughts wander to Tommy as she sat in front of her mirror and began to take her hair down, smiling at the thought of the mahogany-haired man. Sure, they had realized eventually that he was using her as a replacement for Kimberly and she didn't really love him, but it had been nice while it lasted.

She jumped, startled, as a simple piece of white paper floated onto the table in front of her, appearing from out of nowhere. Pausing a moment to see if it was some sort of trap, the blonde Aussie picked it up and read the simple note. _"There is always a chance for a happy ending. Your friends need you now."_ Turning it over, she found the information for a plane ticket back to Angel Grove, bought and paid for, that she could print from the travel website listed. Confused and more than a little skeptical, Kat walked over to her computer, woke it up, and typed in the website. Sure enough, it listed one first-class seat, paid for, for Katherine Hilliard from London to Angel Grove. Printing the paper, she noticed that there was no return ticket.

"Maybe I'm not meant to come back," she whispered, secretly wondering who would have bought her a first-class ticket in the first place. Checking the date and time, she realized that she only had a day to make arrangements to leave. Smiling, the blue-eyed second Pink Ranger pulled her hair into a ponytail and threw on some clothes, heading for the door. It would be nice to go home.

Unnoticed, a tall man with curly brown hair and pointed ears sat outside her window, eyes sparkling. She had accepted.

* * *

The Queen of the Adamarei Alliance sat on her throne, staring at the reports from her Dukes and Duchesses of the various Regions that she controlled scroll through the air, a holo-projection. Touching her finger to one entry, the silver-haired woman brought up the report from Earth, a planet under her protection if not direct jurisdiction. _"All readings confirm our worst fear: Zordon of Eltar is indeed dead, his sacrifice saving the galaxy from Lord Zedd, King Mondo, Rita Repusa, and Divatox. His last group of teen heroes, his Power Rangers, are powerless, retiring as every group before them has done. More information if requested."_

The queen sighed and turned the machine off, letting her head fall into her hands. Zordon dead. He had been one of the greatest Avatars of Light ever. Now who would govern Earth and protect it from evil she knew would return? The ancient woman knew that she was not the one to do so, and she realized that only her heir would have enough power. "But I am left sterile by a touch of the plague," she whispered, never realizing that she had spoken out loud.

"Anarii?"

The queen's closest friend entered the room, the Duchess of Azareth Region smiling, long red hair pulled into a simple braid. The youngest of the Duchesses at only one century, Baliree hated to wear formal clothing, no matter what. Queen Anarii didn't mind in the least. "Yes, Baliree?"

"Ana, I know that you are worried that you have no heir, but you can still bestow your powers on a deserving young woman. If you can find a powerful girl that you trust to lead your people, she doesn't even have to be Shamirin by birth."

"Where can I find a child like that? She'd have to be just coming into her adulthood and powers. There are no twenty-year-olds in my kingdom that I trust so much."

"What about Zordon's children?" Earth was part of Azareth Region, and Anarii knew how much the Eltaran's death hurt the young Duchess. "There are quite a few to choose from, and Zordon trusted the fate of the Universe to them. You can trust Adamarei to one of them."

"Which one? And how can I ask one of those girls to leave behind everything she's ever known and come here to serve me?"

"Then take two or three. Pick the woman you want and ask her who she would most like to accompany her. I'm sure they would come, Ana. They are hurting without their powers and the whole saving-the-world bit, though they could never admit it. I know the Dragon Power is very different from the power of the Morphin' Grid or the Zeo Crystals, but I'm sure they'd jump at the chance."

"Who are my choices, then, Bali?"

"I would prefer one of the earlier girls, not the ones who were with Zordon when he died. The wounds and the pain are too fresh for them, the power too near. So, one of the first seven teams." Bali waved her hand, and a new image appeared before the queen. Seven different groups of Human teenagers stood before her, some noticeably similar. She pulled the girls out and lined them up, highlighting each as she spoke. "These are the Yellow Rangers first. Trini Kwan was first, leaving the team within the second year to attend a peace conference in Switzerland. She is bright and caring and had only a few problems passing the power onto the next Yellow Ranger. Aisha Campbell was the second, staying for quite some time, electing to stay in Africa during the Zeo Quest. She has since entered Veterinarian School so she can help the animals she lives with. She never really had to go through Power withdrawal due to the unique circumstances of her leaving. Tanya Sloan returned with the yellow Zeo Crystal and took Aisha's place on the team, remaining through the Turbo Powers. She voluntarily passed on her powers and retired from the team."

The former Yellow Rangers faded slightly, leaving only two girls standing there. "In five years there were only two Pink Rangers. The first is Kimberly Ann Hart, very small even for a human, an accomplished gymnast. She suffered a great deal as a Ranger, carrying the Power and the responsibility for almost three years, including being kidnapped by Lord Zedd to become his bride, almost being killed more times than I can count, and having her Power Coin stolen by a girl who was at that time Rita's servant. She's the only one who ever had her coin stolen, and that almost killed her. In the end, she left for Florida, unable to handle the Power any longer, and competed in two major Human gymnastic competitions. She is currently an assistant coach in Florida, hoping to teach others how to be winners, too."

"How did she handle losing the power?"

"Major depression. She suffered so much, poor thing, and she didn't have anyone to talk to while in Florida. Eventually she decided that the only way to make the pain go away was to pretend that it never happened, so she cut the last of her ties to Angel Grove."

"What tie?"

"Her boyfriend, Tommy Oliver," Baliree whispered, showing a picture of the man. "She's the one who accepted him into the team without a thought or worry when he was freed from Rita's spell while he was the Green Ranger. She was there for him when he lost his powers and he saved her when her coin was stolen. In the end, she left to chase another of her dreams, always planning to return and give him the family he always wanted. She sent him a letter worded just right to keep him from trying to contact her, and they have not spoken since. The only link she has left to any of the former Rangers is Jason Scott, who visits her once in a while. He knows better than to mention the Rangers."

"Tell me about this last one, the blonde."

"That's Katherine Hilliard, an Australian who was brought to Angel Grove by Rita to steal the Power Coins of the Power Rangers. She fell for Tommy and decided to steal only the Pink Coin, almost killing Kimberly in the process. In the end, Katherine turned good and Kimberly gave her the Pink Coin, making her the second Pink Ranger, when she went to Florida. Katherine and Tommy dated for a while after Kimberly's letter, but they realized that Tommy only ever loved Kimberly and they broke up." The three Yellow Rangers faded back in, and Queen Anarii studied the five women.

"Who should I choose?"

* * *

TBC


	3. Gathering

**Live Like You Were Dying**

**Title:** Live Like You Were Dying  
**Author:** kazeko  
**Show: **Power Rangers  
**Rating:** R  
**Chapters: **?  
**Series:** no, also no relation to "Children of the Gods"  
**Multipart:** yes  
**Time:** About a year after Power Rangers in Space, changing the Power Rangers timeline after that  
**Couple(s):** Tommy/Kimberly, Jason/Kat, Tanya/Adam  
**Disclaimer:** Saban and Disney own Power Rangers and they don't deserve it if they won't release MMPR on DVD!  
**Disclaimer 2:** I own everything else, including characters, other planets, and the plot.  
**Author's Note:** I know these time jumps are still really confusing, so here's just a little more help. This chapter occurs at the end of PRiS when Zordon dies and moves forward a year to the very end of chapter 1. In the next chapter I'll tell you who the visitors are.

* * *

Chapter 3: Gathering

* * *

Jason watched Rocky finish teaching his students, contemplating the Rangers' lives after the power left. He was a teacher, surely one of his finer dreams, but he was so damn lonely. He tried to explain it to Rocky once, but DeSantos went through girlfriends faster than sane people went through shirts and couldn't understand the first Red Ranger's need for a permanent girlfriend. Rocky finished with his students and sent them to change, wandering over to where Jason was seated. The second Red Ranger flopped onto the couch beside his counterpart, grinning. "Whatcha' thinking?"

"I was just wondering why I'm so lonely, that's all."

"You're lonely because you're too picky, that's why. You could have just a normal girl but you want one that touched the Power, and there are only five to choose from."

"It's not fair, really. I mean, at least Tommy had his chance with the girl of his dreams. He didn't have to hide anything from Kimberly and she was always there for him. It doesn't matter how it ended, the point is that they had their chance." Jason sighed and dropped his head in his hands. "I really want that chance. I deserve that chance."

Tanya burst into the dojo, Adam close on her heels, both pale and shaking. Jason and Rocky stood, confused, and helped the other Rangers sit. "What is it, Adam?"

The second Black Ranger swallowed a couple of times, shaking his head at Rocky's question. "It's . . . it's Zordon," he whispered, wiping tears out of his eyes. "He's dead."

"Wh-what?" Jason hit his knees, hands gripping the edge of the couch. "He . . . he can't be dead, Adam."

"It's true," Tanya whispered. "He died and his life force spread out to cleanse the galaxy of evil. The Rangers' message said that Zedd, Rita, and Divatox are good. And there is no more Power. There won't ever be a Command Center or Alpha or Zordon or Power Rangers ever again."

"Oh god," Rocky whispered. "This can't be happening. We saved him before, why couldn't these Rangers save the world without him? Everything seemed fine a week ago when all of the cogs vanished."

"That's when it happened. After letting us fight for so long, he found his way to make a difference." Tanya bit her lip, desperate to restrain her tears. "We were fighting just fine. He didn't have to do that."

"Yes he did," Adam whispered. "We would have done the same thing."

* * *

_Zordon can't be dead._ That thought ran through Tommy's head again and again as he stared out across the lake, a stone in his hand. He threw it at the uncaring water, feeling moisture in his eyes. "Why did you leave us? We're not Rangers anymore, but it was nice, knowing that you were here, watching over everything. And now there's no more Command Center, no more Alpha, no more Rangers, and no more home. Now we're not a family, we're just scattered friends. We don't have anywhere to go anymore."

Images filled his mind, memories of his time as a Ranger. Despite all of the stress and fear and constant battles, he had been happy. Back then at least he had friends, a family to share his hopes and dreams and experiences with. The gentle breeze brought a soft scent to the man, a scent he couldn't name, but it sparked memories of Kimberly. They had shared a dream once, when he was a Ranger, when he was a whole person. Now he didn't have the Power, he didn't have her, he didn't have anything. "I miss you so much, Beautiful," he whispered. "You once said that Zordon was the father you never had, the one who left you and your mother alone, and now he's gone, too. I wonder what you're thinking right now."

* * *

"Wonderful! Okay, that's it for today. I expect to see you all in the morning, bright and early. We'll be closed Monday; don't forget to tell your parents." The petite brunette watched as her students left, a small smile on her face. Coach Withers smiled at her newest apprentice.

"Very good, Kimberly. They love having such a young teacher. One day you'll make a great coach, maybe an Olympic Coach. That's the best feeling in the world, watching one of your kids win a medal."

"I enjoy teaching, Beatrice. After the Olympics, I decided that I wanted to help other girls achieve their dreams. I have a date tonight, if you don't mind."

"No, no! Go have fun, Kimberly. I'll see you in the morning."

Kimberly Ann Hart, world-famous Pan-Global and Olympic gymnastics champion, smiled and headed for her apartment and her date with the man and woman who had been her best friends since she was just a little girl. Zack Taylor and Trini Kwan had been able to catch a cheap flight to Miami and were glad to join the slender young woman for supper. They had all grown apart after leaving Angel Grove, but they managed to see each other when they could.

* * *

"Hi, guys! Why so down?" Kimberly plopped into the chair across from Zack and Trini, smiling at the waitress as she brought three glasses of water and wandered away, leaving the three to peruse the menu. Zack and Trini exchanged a pained glance, and the oriental woman bit her lip.

"Kimberly, Jason called us today, after we landed." She nodded toward her cell phone, and Kimberly mentally reminded herself that she needed to give her cell number to the first Red Ranger. "Kim, do you remember when the Power Rangers faced off against the Machines for the last time about a week or more ago?"

"Sure. It was all over the television. It was kind of cool, finally learning who the Power Rangers were." Trini and Zack exchanged a startled glance, the woman shrugging. It was possible that no one ever thought to tell Kimberly who took over after Tommy and the others left the team. "What about it?"

"Kimberly, the reason all of the cogs and stuff vanished was because Zordon expended his life force. He's dead, Kimberly."

And then they knew something was wrong.

Kimberly smiled and shrugged. "Okay. Who's Zordon? The Power Ranger leader or something?"

"Kimberly, Zordon's dead! You said he was like a father to you! Did you forget?"

"Forget what, Trini? I'm sure if I knew someone named Zordon, I would remember." Her confusion and blank expression could not and were not faked. She honestly had no idea who Zordon was.

Trini felt Zack squeeze her hand in warning, and Trini smiled. "I thought I introduced you. I must have been mistaken. Well, shall we order?"

* * *

"Tommy?"

"Trini! Zack!" The former leader of the Power Rangers grinned as he embraced his old teammates and helped them gather their bags. "How have you been?"

"It's nice to be home," Trini admitted. "There may be some perks to being world travelers, but I really missed my friends. How has Angel Grove been?"

"Remarkably quiet, especially since . . ." Tommy placed the bags he was carrying in the back of his jeep and gestured for the other two to jump in. "It looks like Zordon's final sacrifice eliminated evil as he planned. I kinda' miss the action, you know?"

"I know," Zack smiled as Tommy drove off, heading toward Tanya's apartment. "I remember some of that. It was hard, being a normal person again. But I've gotten used to it. Trini?"

"I liked saving people, but I'm glad we got a reward of a normal life. What about you, Tommy? You were a Power Ranger much longer than either of us. You were there for what, six different teams?"

"Yeah. It's not easy." He sighed as he stopped at the light, waiting for the red to turn green. "The green turned red," he whispered. "The green turned white then red." He smiled at his friends. "Sorry. I was just thinking. I kinda miss being the Green Ranger. Isn't that the strangest thing? When I was the Green Ranger, no matter what happened to me and my powers, I knew who I was. When I was the White Ranger and the leader, I had so many more responsibilities, and I wasn't so insecure. I didn't need her as much. But when I became the Red Ranger, there was nothing left of me. There was nothing left that she knew."

"Kimberly," Trini realized as they pulled into the parking lot of Tanya and Adam's apartment complex. The three of them grabbed the bags and headed for the elevator. "You're talking about your relationship with Kimberly. Tommy, it's not your fault."

"Yes it is," Tommy whispered as they rode the elevator to Tanya's floor. "If it wasn't something I did, then why did she leave me?"

"Tommy, there's something we need to tell you about Kimberly."

"Tell me in a sec, Trini. We're here." Tommy knocked on the door, pushing it open at Tanya's behest. "Hey, look who I found at the airport."

* * *

TBC


	4. Future Shocked

**Live Like You Were Dying**

**Title:** Live Like You Were Dying  
**Author:** kazeko  
**Show: **Power Rangers  
**Rating:** R  
**Chapters: **?  
**Series:** no, also no relation to "Children of the Gods"  
**Multipart:** yes  
**Time:** About a year after Power Rangers in Space, changing the Power Rangers timeline after that  
**Couple(s):** Tommy/Kimberly, Jason/Kat, Tanya/Adam  
**Disclaimer:** Saban and Disney own Power Rangers and they don't deserve it if they won't release MMPR on DVD!  
**Disclaimer 2:** I own everything else, including characters, other planets, and the plot.  
**Author's Note:** I know these time jumps are still really confusing, so here's just a little more help. This chapter occurs at the end of PRiS when Zordon dies and moves forward a year to the very end of chapter 1. In the next chapter I'll tell you who the visitors are.

* * *

Chapter 4: Future Shocked

* * *

"Tommy, what is it?"

The former leader shook his head, the hair on the back of his neck standing on end. He was frozen in the middle of the room, staring at nothing, all of his instincts screaming at him. "I'm not sure . . . it feels like we're being watched."

A flash of silver-white-red light in the center of the room confirmed his suspicions and Tommy leapt back, falling into a defensive posture as the other Rangers also shot to their feet. The glow faded and gasps of shock and disbelief filled the room. "Oh my god . . ." Aisha whispered. No one else could speak.

The leader of the three grinned. "Hey, guys. How've you been?"

Tommy stared at the woman, unable to look at either man. "Kimberly . . ." he breathed. "Oh god . . ."

The woman smiled, her eyes warm and friendly. "Hello Tommy."

The former White Ranger fell to the couch, eyes locked on the woman. "What . . . you aren't the Kimberly I know."

Kimberly grinned and glanced at her two companions. "No, I'm not." The man on her arm glanced at Tommy, the third member of their party reaching out to take Jason's hand.

"Hello, Jason."

"You're . . . me? How is that possible?"

"And you're Tommy," Rocky whispered, staring at the man in white. "Why do you have pointed ears?"

"It's a really long story, and we can't tell you everything." Kimberly, Tommy, and Jason took a seat, and the woman continued. "Look, the point is that Tommy, Jason, and I have come back in time to fix something that went terribly wrong."

"How far back in time?"

"Seventy-seven years."

"Oh my god . . ." Aisha stared at the woman seated on the couch across from her. "You don't look a hundred, Kim."

"I know. Shamirii do not age the same way humans do."

"You three are human," Adam pointed out.

"We were," Tommy corrected, "but not anymore. Now we are Shamirii. The planets of the Adamarei Alliance are suffering from a deadly plague and we came here to prevent it. We wouldn't have revealed ourselves, but something else has happened. There is a small faction of Shamirii who blame the three of us for the plague, though it existed long before we arrived on Adamarei Prime. Queen Anarii put us in charge of defending her heir from all members of that faction, and we thought she would be safe here on Earth. She was kidnapped less than a day ago and we need your help to find her." Kimberly winced at Tommy's words, and the older man pulled her closer. Young Tommy found himself watching their every move, knowing that they were in love, married, perhaps even with a family. That meant that he and Kimberly were destined to make up, but when?

"We'll do all we can, of course," Adam assured the three. "Are you really from the future?"

Jason smiled and pushed his hair behind his pointed ear. "Yes, we are. Sometime this year, within the month, Queen Anarii will send her messengers here and recruit us to help her save her alliance. Seventy-seven years later, we will discover how to come back in time and prevent any of that from ever happening." There was something in his voice, a hesitation perhaps, that indicated that he wasn't being one hundred percent truthful. The younger Jason sat up, dark eyes searching his future-self's face.

He knew that the older Jason was lying, and he narrowed his eyes. "Why are your ears pointed? All three of you? Is that part of being Shamirii?"

"_He knows,"_ Jason sent along the link, eyes locked on his younger self.

"_He can't possibly, he just knows that you're hiding something,"_ Kimberly assured the man who had always been like her older brother. _"We can keep it a secret long enough to find her. We have to find her."_

"_We will,"_ Tommy promised, resting his forehead on hers as Jason answered himself.

"Not really. The more powerful we are and the more we exercise that power, the more pointed our ears become." He touched his ears as he glanced at Kimberly and Tommy. He wondered if the younger Rangers could see that Kimberly's petite ears were pointed but not sharp and that Tommy's ears were dulling in response. Probably not. "We've used a lot of Dragon Power over the decades, but there are Shamirin Prophets and Healers who have much more pronounced points."

"What are you, then?" Tanya shook her head, trying to organize her thoughts. "I mean, are you Prophets or healers . . ."

"We're warriors," Kimberly sighed, tears sparkling in her eyes for a moment. Only young Tommy noticed. "We protect the Heir of the Adamarei Alliance. We use magic to create, alter, change, destroy, fight, and defend. We can do everything except Look Forward, and we have only limited empathic and telepathic abilities. We are as Queen Anarii made us almost eighty years ago."

"There's something you're not telling us."

All heads turned toward the door to find a smiling Australian dancer standing there. The older Jason grinned and stood up. "I wondered if you got my note."

"Ah, so you're the one who bought that ticket. Thanks. But there is something you're not telling us."

Kimberly smiled at Kat and glanced at Tommy, sending a telepathic message to her partners. Jason started, turning to face the slender woman, and the Rangers realized what was going on. Tommy crossed his arms over his chest and shook his head, relenting as tears formed in Kimberly's eyes. Jason moved closer and placed a hand on Tommy's shoulder, nodding reluctantly. Tommy raised an eyebrow and Kimberly slowly nodded. She let her partner embrace her, drawing strength from the man she had pledged her heart to so many decades earlier. Taking a deep breath, Kimberly faced the Rangers again as Kat sat down between Tanya and Aisha.

"You're right, Kat. I have really missed you. Seventy-seven years ago Queen Anarii learned of Zordon's death and realized that many of the great Avatars of Light were dying. She didn't have any time left to find an heir. The plague did not kill her since she is not that powerful of a warrior, but it left her sterile, unable to birth an heir. No one in the Alliance would argue with her choosing a daughter, as long as she was young and could be instilled with Anarii's Dragon Power. A child to the Shamirii is a twenty-year-old, but Anarii did not know of any Shamirii she could trust, so she asked Baliree, the Duchess of Azareth Region—of which Earth is a protectorate—to help her choose one of the ex-Rangers to be her daughter."

"She chose you," Tommy whispered, mind flying to Trini's last words before they entered the apartment. "You're Anarii's heir?"

"Not anymore," she managed, fists clenched. Both Tommys moved to comfort the petite brunette, the older one wrapping his arms around her, the younger one stopping himself. What was he doing? "That child is now. I can't ever take the throne as Anarii planned, but Shana can. She has to. She's our only hope."

"She's your daughter," Kat breathed, shocking the other Rangers. "She's not just the future queen of your alliance, she's your child. Your . . . your only child."

Kimberly nodded. "Please help me find her."

"We'll help you, Kimberly," Tommy whispered, knowing what the other ex-Rangers were thinking. "And we will find Shana. You don't have to worry."

Zack stood, glancing around, voicing the question that was on everyone's mind. "But where do we start?"

* * *

TBC


	5. What She Won't Say

**Live Like You Were Dying**

**Title:** Live Like You Were Dying  
**Author:** kazeko  
**Show: **Power Rangers  
**Rating:** R  
**Chapters: **?  
**Series:** no, also no relation to "Children of the Gods"  
**Multipart:** yes  
**Time:** About a year after Power Rangers in Space, changing the Power Rangers timeline after that  
**Couple(s):** Tommy/Kimberly, Jason/Kat, Tanya/Adam  
**Disclaimer:** Saban and Disney own Power Rangers and they don't deserve it if they won't release MMPR on DVD!  
**Disclaimer 2:** I own everything else, including characters, other planets, and the plot.  
**Author's Note:** I know these time jumps are still really confusing, so here's just a little more help. This chapter occurs at the end of PRiS when Zordon dies and moves forward a year to the very end of chapter 1. In the next chapter I'll tell you who the visitors are.

* * *

Chapter 5: What She Won't Say

* * *

"Dervalet is a powerless Shamiri, and he leads the Azouret, a faction of Shamirii who oppose Anarii choosing a human for her heir. Shana isn't really human, not after we've lived so long among them and used so much power, but he wants Anarii to pick his daughter to be queen. She's a distant relative of the royal line through her late mother, and Dervalet believes that Kapiire deserves the throne."

Adam raised his hand. "Hold on a second, Kimberly. That's way too much information. How involved are the politics of Adamarei Alliance?"

Kimberly glanced at her husband and shrugged. "There's a lot of planets in the Alliance. Basically, all you need to know is that we and you are on the side of Queen Anarii and the Azouret are the ones who stole Shana. Anything else we can tell you."

Trini pulled Tommy to one side and glanced at the three Shamirii standing in the center of the room. "Tommy, there's something I need to tell you about Kimberly. Our Kimberly. There's something very wrong with her."

"What do you mean? Isn't she happy in Florida?"

"She's too happy, Tommy. We never mentioned it, but Zack and I would visit her sometimes when we were in the States, and we made a special trip after all the cogs and stuff disappeared. We wanted to come all the way to Angel Grove, but we decided that just seeing Kimberly would be enough. We thought that maybe she kept in touch with some of you. Jason called me when our plane touched down and told us that Zordon was dead, that he sacrificed himself to rid the galaxy of evil."

"And? How did Kimberly react?"

"She didn't."

"What? But she said Zordon was like a father to her. I thought she'd take it badly."

"We thought so, too, Tommy, but she didn't even seem to know anything about the Power Rangers. We told her Zordon was dead and she asked us who he was." Trini glanced at the three visitors from the future, dark eyes worried. "I think Kimberly tried to block out all of the painful memories of her time as a Ranger and she ended up forgetting everything. If Anarii's friend Baliree is coming here within the month, she'll be brutally reminded of her time as a Ranger, and that pain could send her into a deep bought of depression. We can't let Baliree shock her like that."

"What can we do?"

Trini gestured for Tommy to follow her as she approached young Jason, pulling him away from the group conversation with Tommy and Kimberly. "Jason, when was the last time you saw Kimberly?"

"Pretty recently, why?"

"Does she seem different to you?"

"Well, she has the gymnastics medals she won hidden in the back of her closet. She never talks about her accomplishments, but nothing else."

"What about . . . I know you remember how she was before becoming a Ranger. Does it seem to you like that change never happened?"

Jason thought a moment and slowly nodded. "Yeah, I guess that must be why she's so different. It's like those three years never happened." He glanced at the older Kimberly and raised an eyebrow. "Maybe we can ask her."

Zack shook his head at something the older Tommy mentioned. "Yes, I see that the baby would be their main target, but the only way for Dervalet to insure that Kapiire is handed the throne is for him to eliminate any opposition."

"He's tried," Jason admitted, rolling his eyes. "He tried to kill me and he tried to kill Tommy but it did no good. He can't outright kill Shana because of the nature of her birth and the protection spells we wove."

"Can't he prevent her birth?"

"What do you mean?" As young Jason, Tommy, and Trini rejoined the group, older Tommy crossed his arms over his chest. "He doesn't have the power to Alter. He lacks the Dragon Power."

"He doesn't need the power to travel through time; you gave it to him already." Zack pointed outside, toward some imaginary man, one eyebrow raised. "He followed you here and he has the simple mundane power to kill the one person who has to survive until Baliree comes." He let his words sink in, and the three Shamirii turned white. "That's right. He took Shana to keep you occupied while he hunts down Kimberly. Our Kimberly. And right now she's suffering from some sort of selective amnesia. She'd be dead before she even realized that she could fight back."

"Oh god," Tommy whispered. "She has no idea . . ."

Kimberly glanced at her Tommy. _"We have to find a way to warn her. I want to save her the pain of these later years, but we can't let Dervalet prevent Shana's birth."_ She included Jason in the mental exchange, brown eyes glancing at her husband's younger self. _"I wish I could help them, Tommy."_

"_You can't, Beautiful. Jason, you said you have an idea how to prevent the catastrophe, and we will follow your plan."_

Rocky cleared his throat. "Hey, no private conversations. If you can't say it to us, we're not the friends you claimed we are."

"I'm sorry," Kimberly whispered. "We've had to hide our thoughts for so long . . . we were just discussing Jason's plan to change our future. We think we've found a way to keep the plague from becoming so virulent without dooming Shana to non-existence. We have to find a way to get to me and bring her here." She scrunched up her little nose and Tommy felt his heart warm at the sight. She was still so very beautiful, even seventy-seven years later, even with little pointed ears and sad eyes. "That sounds so very weird. Are you guys up to another adventure?"

Adam shrugged, glancing at Tommy to lead the Rangers again. "We'll do whatever you need us to do, Kimberly, but we don't have any power. With Zordon gone, there's no grid or anything left."

Kimberly glanced at Tommy and Jason, and the other two Shamirii nodded. The first Pink Ranger turned back to her old friends and smiled. "There is a way. Tommy and Jason can give you some power, but you must all swear not to use any of the Dragon Power without them around. And don't use any of it near me. Your lives quite literally depend on it. Do you swear?"

"Kimberly, what's going on?"

"Tommy, I don't need any of your questions. Do you swear not to use the power unless Tommy or Jason is with you?"

Tommy nodded. "I do."

Jason and Aisha also nodded, the former Yellow Ranger speaking. "Yeah, Kim, you know you can trust me."

Adam, Tanya, and Rocky also nodded. "Sure, absolutely."

Trini, Zack, and Kat were last, and they also promised. Kat raised her hand, feeling ridiculously like a schoolgirl again. "Kimberly, what's this plan that you three have to save our future?"

Jason smiled at the blonde, eyes sparkling. "We'll tell you when your Kimberly and our Shana are safe."

Kimberly suddenly gasped, doubling over in pain, as threads of silver light snaked across her body, sparking where they touched bare skin. Tommy and Jason pulled away, her husband holding his younger self back as all of the former Rangers moved forward to help their friend. Kimberly fell to her knees, biting her lip to keep from screaming, collapsing as the silver faded. Tommy was by her side in an instant, wrapping his white cloak around the shivering brunette as he lifted her and helped her lay down on the couch. "Just rest a second," he whispered, brown eyes full of a secret pain. Jason watched over his partner's shoulder, knowing that he couldn't do anything. "How bad is it, Beautiful?"

"It's bad," she whispered, clenching a fist before relaxing. "Narethi told me that it would come fast when it came. We don't have long, Tommy."

"How long did Narethi say?"

"A week."

"God," Tommy whispered, clenching his fists. "Ten years and I'm still not ready for this. I don't know if I can do it, Beautiful."

Kimberly reached up and rested her hand on Tommy's cheek, brown eyes smiling. "It will be okay, Tommy. You'll make it. You really will." She glanced up at Jason and took his hand. "If we can find Shana, then you two can take care of her."

"I promise we will."

Young Tommy glanced at his friends and nodded at the three Shamirii in front of them. "Jase, what do you think is going on?"

"I'm not exactly sure, Bro, but I think their plan has something to do with saving her."

Tommy and Jason moved away from the resting woman, pulling out nine golden chains hung with teardrop-shaped garnet-colored stones. The two Shamirii Warriors handed out the necklaces, and a closer examination proved that the dark red gems were smooth and translucent, darker striations in their depths. "What are they? They're not like any stone I've ever seen."

"Because they're not exactly stones. Shamirii live in a symbiotic relationship with the Dragons that originated in the Home System, and we use their life power as magic. There are some Shamirii and most of our allies who cannot use the Dragon Power, so some Dragons give drops of their blood to Mages to distribute to unfortunate individuals. You each hold a drop of Dragon blood, and it is very powerful. Put the necklaces on."

Tommy slipped the gold chain over his head and his brown eyes widened as power flowed through him, a power he had not experienced since he was the Red Ranger. He had missed the invulnerable larger-than-life feeling the Power gave him. Glancing at Jason, he could see that his best friend and soul-brother was affected the same way, as was Kat. Tanya, Adam, Trini, Aisha, Zack, and Rocky were smiling, but they didn't seem quite as happy. The Rangers turned to the two Mages, and Jason grinned.

"You nine seem to have adapted well to the Power. We expected as much from ex-Power Rangers. All you have to do to teleport to Florida is take the stone in your hand and think about Kimberly—your Kimberly. Be very specific with your visual, too." Jason moved into the group of Rangers, Tommy just behind him. All eleven of them glanced at the woman falling asleep on the couch, and Kat left the group.

"Sorry, mate, you'll have to do it without me. Someone has to stay here."

"Just don't use your power around Kimberly," Tommy warned. The ten vanished, leaving the two Pink Rangers alone.

* * *

TBC


	6. Confessions of the Pink Rangers

**Live Like You Were Dying**

**Title:** Live Like You Were Dying  
**Author:** kazeko  
**Show: **Power Rangers  
**Rating:** R  
**Chapters: **?  
**Series:** no, also no relation to "Children of the Gods"  
**Multipart:** yes  
**Time:** About a year after Power Rangers in Space, changing the Power Rangers timeline after that  
**Couple(s):** Tommy/Kimberly, Jason/Kat, Tanya/Adam  
**Disclaimer:** Saban and Disney own Power Rangers and they don't deserve it if they won't release MMPR on DVD!  
**Disclaimer 2:** I own everything else, including characters, other planets, and the plot.

* * *

Chapter 6: Confessions of the Pink Rangers

* * *

Kimberly hummed to herself as she brushed her hair, digging through her closet for one of her favorite shirts. She froze as her fingers touched flannel. "I don't have any flannel shirts," she murmured. Shrugging, she pulled out the shirt, realizing instantly that it did not belong to her. Staring at the green-and-white checkered material, she struggled to remember where it came from. Digging deeper, she found a small wooden box. She sat on her bed and opened it, smiling at the shining medals. "I remember these," she smiled. "Why did I put them down there?" Pushing the gold and silver circles of metal to one side, she pulled out a strange-looking pink watch with extra buttons on the side. "I wonder . . . what is this?"

A knock on her door interrupted the brunette's thoughts, and she snapped the watch on her wrist as she rose and glanced outside. A tall man with black hair and strange reddish eyes smiled at her, something in his expression chilling her to the bone. "Yes? Can I help you?"

"I should hope so. I'm Dervalet, and I am searching for a Kimberly Ann Hart. Do you know her?"

Kimberly nodded. "I _am_ her. Do you have a child you want to enroll in my class? Is that why you're here?"

The man nodded. "Yes, that's it exactly. My daughter, Kapiire, is very interested in gymnastics. She's a little shy and wouldn't come. We live nearby, and it would be a great boost to her confidence if you could stop by some time and ask her to come to a class."

Kimberly glanced over her shoulder and smiled. "I'm not busy now. If you don't have somewhere else to be, I can go with you."

Dervalet nodded and bowed slightly. "I don't have anywhere else to be."

* * *

"Is this Kim's apartment?" Aisha and Trini exchanged a glance, wrinkling their nose at the furnishings and random items that attempted to turn the small apartment into a home and failed pretty miserably. "This isn't her," Aisha pointed out. "It doesn't remind me of her, I mean."

"I reminds me of her before Zordon and the Power Rangers," Trini admitted, glancing at young Tommy. The two former Yellow Rangers turned to the pair of Mages. "Did she tell you what was going on in Florida?"

"We can't tell you."

Jason glared at his older self as he picked up the wooden box on the bed. "Her medals," he whispered, picking up the green-and-white shirt. "Tommy," he whispered. "This shirt. Is this the one you gave her?"

"Yeah, it is." Tommy glanced at his future self as he looked around. "She's not here."

"Maybe she went out for a bite."

"No, Tanya," Adam whispered. "She wouldn't have left stuff out. What if . . ."

Tommy whirled on his older self, fists clenched. "You said that we would find Kimberly if we thought of her! Here we are, so where is she?"

Tommy closed his eyes, focusing on his link with his wife. "Dervalet hasn't hurt her, or Kimberly would have reacted. He must have a Mage with him to block their power signature and push us off the scent. The only thing we can do is go back and try to cast a tracer spell . . ."

Tommy reached in his pocket and pulled out his old communicator. "In the past it was so easy. If Kimberly was missing we could just trace her through the grid. Now . . ." He smiled as he pushed the button for pink, jumping when he got an answer. The others gathered around as Kimberly's shocked voice crackled from the old piece of equipment.

"_Whoa, what was that? Hello?"_

"Kimberly? Where are you?"

"_Who is this? What is this? Is this some sort of pager? Who are you?"_

Tommy tapped a button on his communicator, closing his fingers around the bloodstone. He vanished, the other ex-Rangers just behind him.

* * *

Kimberly opened her eyes, startled to find Kat sitting in the chair across from her. "Kat? Why aren't you with the others?"

"Because you needed me more. How have you been?"

Kimberly struggled to sit, groaning in pain. "Not so good, Kat. Really not so good. How about you? It's been, what, a year since Zordon's death?"

"Yeah, that's about right. How did you feel when you learned what happened?"

Kimberly grinned and gratefully took the cup of water Kat offered. "Quite honestly, I was suffering from a bout of severe self-inflicted amnesia at the time. When Trini told me Zordon was dead, I didn't know who Zordon was. When Baliree took me and forced me to remember, I cried for so long. I still miss him, Kat, seventy-eight years later, and I know that the pain will never go away. He really was like a father to me."

"I guess it was different for you and the other original Rangers. After all, he chose you and gave you the power to save the world. You gave me my power, and I imagine that you and I are quite a bit closer than the Yellow Rangers or the Blacks."

Kimberly nodded, wiping tears from her eyes. "I really missed you, Kat. Ten, twenty, even thirty years after we left, I wanted to come back. If I could have done anything differently, I would have answered Baliree when she asked me who I wanted to come with me. I told her that I didn't want to go and that it didn't matter to me who else she chose, so she asked Tommy who he wanted to come besides me. I think if he could he would have chosen every Power Ranger he's served with, but he had a choice of one and he chose the man who has been like his bother and mine for so long."

"How did Jason fare? Does he have a wife and kids back in the Adamarei Alliance?"

Kimberly shook her head sadly. "No, and I don't think he ever will. He left someone on Earth and he always regretted that he didn't have the chance to tell her how he felt."

"Who was she?"

"You have to know that I'm not going to tell you, Kat."

The Aussie shrugged and sipped her water. "I thought I'd try. So, Shana's your kid, huh? I see that you and Tommy finally worked everything out."

"It took almost twenty years. God we were stubborn, Kat. And it'll probably take twenty more years this time around. I hate Time Paradoxes."

"Then why did you come back?"

"To stop this damn plague. It's going to wipe out Adamaren Prime if we can't halt it. The Dragons caught it first—I think someone was trying to wipe them out, take our power away. It might have been Dervalet or one of his faction. The Shamirii with power live in a symbiotic relationship with the Dragons—we need their power to have children and they need us to protect theirs. They're lonely without us. When the first Dragons on Adamaren Prime came down with the plague, their powers faded so fast and they just died one day. Anarii was only a child then, but she lost two of her best Dragon friends. The strongest Shamirin Mages tried to cure it, but they caught it and it spread."

"How does a magical plague spread?"

"When we do spells together, Shamirin magic from two Mages links." Kimberly held up her hands and twined the fingers. "Like this. If one has the plague, the other gets it." She pulled her hands apart, just barely not touching. "If an infected Mage casts a spell near a normal person, sometimes the plague will pass that small space and infect the next person. For a very weak Shamiri, the plague will only sterilize them, prevent them from having children. That's what happened to Anarii, which is why she had to choose an heir. Tommy, Jason, and I tried to stop the plague, but it didn't work." Kimberly fell silent, staring into her cup.

"Kimberly, what aren't you telling us? What aren't you telling me?"

Kimberly looked up suddenly, a touch of suspicion in her brown eyes. "Why are you here?"

"Jason sent me a ticket."

"No, Kat; why did you really come? Why did you stay with me? Tommy and the others could have used your help; I'm not going anywhere and I'm not going to get into any trouble in this time. So, why?"

Kat bit her lip nervously, placing her own cup on the table. "Kimberly, when I learned that you, Tommy, and Jason are going to leave, the first thing I thought was, 'God I wish I could go with them.' Then I knew that me being there would have hampered you and Tommy, and who knows if you would have ever gotten together. I know that I never got the chance to tell you, but I know that you never stopped loving Tommy and I'm really sorry."

"Sorry? For what?"

"Because when Tommy got your letter, all I could think was how lucky I was. I had him all to myself, and I tried so hard to keep him. When it didn't work out after I headed to London . . . all I could think was that I wanted you and Tommy to have another chance. I was hoping I could tell you."

Kimberly wiped the tears out of her eyes and leaned forward, embracing the taller blonde. "Thank you, Kat. I wondered for decades . . . Jase and Tommy have a plan to fix your future, and maybe you and I will get a chance to talk."

"Can I come with you?"

* * *

TBC


	7. Confessions of a Future Queen

**Live Like You Were Dying**

**Title:** Live Like You Were Dying  
**Author:** kazeko  
**Show: **Power Rangers  
**Rating:** PG 13  
**Chapters: **?  
**Series:** no, also no relation to "Children of the Gods"  
**Multipart:** yes  
**Time:** About a year after Power Rangers in Space, changing the Power Rangers timeline after that  
**Couple(s):** Tommy/Kimberly, Jason/Kat, Tanya/Adam  
**Disclaimer:** Saban and Disney own Power Rangers and they don't deserve it if they won't release MMPR on DVD!  
**Disclaimer 2:** I own everything else, including characters, other planets, and the plot.

* * *

Chapter 7: Confessions of a Future Queen

* * *

Kimberly slowly opened her eyes, wondering where she was. The last thing she could remember was entering Dervalet's house and meeting his daughter Kapiire. Then three more men burst into the room . . . and everything went black. No, wait! Kimberly sat up, finding herself in a darkened bedroom, reaching for the strange watch on her wrist. It had beeped just before she lost consciousness. Now she could tell that it was offline, no longer able to respond to whatever voice had come through the watch. Who was that man, anyway? He sounded so familiar.

A baby's strident cry interrupted her thoughts, and the young gymnast slid out of bed, silently padding to the door. Forgotten warrior instincts kicked in as she silently opened the door and slid down the hallway, toward the sound. She stopped at a closed door at the other end of the hall, and it irised open when it sensed her, startling the brunette. A single crib sat in the room, a large bed, small table, and chair the only other furniture in the room. A strange black screen occupied part of one wall, blinking lights in the wall.

Kimberly only took a moment to examine the room before moving toward the crib, stopping at the edge and staring at the tiny baby lying there. The girl had brown hair and deep brown eyes, specks of green sparkling in their depth. She looked so much like Tommy that Kimberly felt tears fill her eyes. Tommy. Fragments of her life in Angel Grove filtered through the block she had erected so long ago as the petite brunette gently lifted the screaming infant, smiling as she silenced. "Hey," she whispered. "There's no need to cry, little one."

"I thought she would never shut up."

Kimberly pulled the baby closer to her breast as she looked up at Dervalet, the red-eyed man leaning casually against the doorframe. "Why doesn't her mother feed her? She's so young . . . she must still be breastfeeding."

"She is, but her mother is not here."

"Whose child is she? Is she Tommy's?"

"Of course she's Tommy's," Dervalet scoffed. Kimberly felt her heart freeze at the thought, and tears filled her eyes. "Look, can you keep her quiet or what?"

Kimberly narrowed her eyes, turning her pain to fury. "I don't know what you did to the poor thing's mother, but the only person qualified to take care of her is that woman. I can't do it and I certainly can't nurse her."

"That's where you're wrong. My Mage can cast a spell to make your body produce milk for the brat."

"Mage?" Kimberly nodded, remembering pieces of things. What he was telling her made a little sense, and she glanced at the babe. "If I can help, I will. Is that why you lured me here?"

"Something like that. Shana needs someone to take care of her, and you're as good a human as any to do the job." Dervalet pulled a small bottle out of his pocket and held it out. "Azaemer said that if you drink this and let the child nurse, your body will produce the milk she needs."

"What will you do to me if I refuse to be her wet nurse?"

Dervalet shrugged and placed the vial on the table. "No one will suffer but the child." He left, closing and locking the door behind him.

Kimberly sighed and glanced at the waiting child. "He tricked me, you know. He let me wake up when you did so I'd come here to take care of you." Shana giggled, and the woman smiled. "I wonder who your mother is, child. She must be pretty special to have won Tommy over like that. I can't remember . . . I wonder why I forgot him." She shook her head, banishing the thoughts and the memories, as she reached for the vial.

* * *

Kimberly watched Shana as she nursed peacefully, drowsily listening to the tiny sounds the infant made. She felt a strange warmth envelop her, filling her with power and strength, and she closed her brown eyes as Shana finished her meal.

* * *

"Father, are you crazy?! You put Shana in with her mother?!"

"Kapiire! She's not the brat's mother yet. Besides, no one else could do the job."

Kapiire grunted and crossed her arms over her chest. "Why can't we just kill the thing? Then we wouldn't have had to lure that stupid human here and waste a potion forcing her body to make milk."

"How many times do I have to explain this to you? If we kill Shana before Kimberly has to pass on her powers, then she'll give them to her husband or one of these humans. If we keep Shana alive until it's too late, then Kimberly's powers will be lost and we can kill the child and still get the throne."

Kapiire sighed as she ran a brush through her long black hair. "Still, I don't trust her. This is really not a good idea."

"I'll go check on them, if you'd like. I should feed Kimberly, anyway."

"Don't let that kid shock you again! Her lightning attacks are pretty powerful for only being a month old."

"I know." Dervalet rubbed the angry red line on his cheek as he headed for Shana's room.

He found Kimberly sound asleep, legs curled under her in the large chair, the baby sound asleep in her arms, one of Kimberly's breasts still bared. He wondered what it would be like to possess that woman, make Shana his child, and he grinned as he pushed the door further open.

Kimberly jumped at the noise, automatically closing her shirt and pulling the baby closer. "What are you doing here?" There was an edge to her voice that had not been there before, and Dervalet backed away. "Get away from us."

"Now look here! You're my prisoners and I won't have you talking to me like that! If you don't behave, I'll take her away from you." Ha! That should make the powerless human watch herself.

To Dervalet's shock, Kimberly stood up and hugged the baby closer, a strange light in her brown eyes. "You will not take her from me," she whispered, pale pink/silver light glowing from her slender frame. Lightning leapt from the baby, wrapping itself around her nursemaid and new protector. The baby giggled as the pair vanished, leaving a very shocked Shamiri in their wake.

"How could Shana's powers be compatible with that human?! Damn her!! Kapiire! The baby escaped!"

* * *

Tommy stared across the water, twirling a blade of grass between his fingers. The other humans stood in a loose circle around him, each in various levels of depression. The two Mages were further away, unwilling to return to Kimberly without her daughter. "How could we have missed her? We transported to where her communicator should have been, but she wasn't there."

"She's still alive," the older Jason consoled the ex-Rangers. "If she wasn't, we wouldn't be here discussing it."

Tommy turned to his older self, thinking a moment before he blurted out his question. "What's wrong with Kimberly? What was that power a few hours ago?"

"I can't tell you. It wouldn't change anything, anyway."

"Then what about our Kimberly? Why doesn't she remember any of her time as a Ranger?" Tommy stood at the hesitation in his future's eyes, smiling kindly. "Look, I know you don't want to destroy the future; you're here to make it better, right? If she can't or won't remember anything about the Power Rangers, how can she adjust to life as a Shamiri?"

"She won't very easily," Tommy admitted. "It took five years for her to fully relax and be able to accept the Queen's power."

"How long until you two got together?"

"Tommy, you have to understand that she was in a great deal of pain and very confused. To be honest, I didn't fare much better, what with the new worlds and the Power. We barely talked unless we had to until she got her powers."

"How long?"

Tommy sighed and hung his head, knowing that Jason would not help him. "Twenty years," he finally admitted.

"What?! It took you twenty years to speak to her? What was the matter with you?"

The white-robed Mage looked up, brown eyes sparkling fiercely. "There are things you don't know about what happened on Adamaren Prime! I can't tell you what took so long!"

"Yes you can! My Kimberly, the woman I love more than my life and even this planet, the woman I've saved and been saved by countless times has been captured by your enemy through no fault of her own and he wants to KILL her and all you can do is sit there and say that you won't tell me!! Your Kimberly is sick, and I want you to tell me what's wrong with her!!"

"She's dying!!"

Silence filled the small grove after Tommy's furious answer, the two Mages stepping back, shocked that Tommy had actually answered the question. "She's . . . what?"

* * *

TBC 


	8. Confessions of the White Rangers

**Live Like You Were Dying**

**Title:** Live Like You Were Dying  
**Author:** kazeko  
**Show: **Power Rangers  
**Rating:** R  
**Chapters: **?  
**Series:** no, also no relation to "Children of the Gods"  
**Multipart:** yes  
**Time:** About a year after Power Rangers in Space, changing the Power Rangers timeline after that  
**Couple(s):** Tommy/Kimberly, Jason/Kat, Tanya/Adam  
**Disclaimer:** Saban and Disney own Power Rangers and they don't deserve it if they won't release MMPR on DVD!  
**Disclaimer 2:** I own everything else, including characters, other planets, and the plot.

* * *

Chapter 8: Confessions of the White Rangers

* * *

Tommy waved his hand and activated the bloodstones, moving the entire group back to Tanya's apartment. He and Jason moved to Kimberly's side as the conversation between the two Pink Rangers ceased. The other Rangers pulled Kat into their midst, Tanya filling her friend in on the turn of the conversation. Kimberly glanced at her husband, a question in her eyes, but the Mage didn't get a chance to answer before is former self moved forward. "Kimberly, tell us about the plague."

Kat answered when her predecessor would not. "It's a magic-based contagious infliction that originated with the Dragons from whom the Shamirii get their power. When an infected Shamiri performs a spell with or very near another Shamiri, the second Mage is certain to catch it. She told me that the plague will usually sterilize weaker Mages like Queen Anarii, but she never said what it does to powerful Mages." All eyes turned to Kimberly and Tommy, and they looked away, swallowing. "Kimberly, all you did when I asked you was to change the answer. Answer me now. What happens to strong Mages when they get the plague?"

"We die," Kimberly whispered, tears in her eyes. "There's no cure, no going back, no preventing it. If strong Mages catch the plague, we never recover. Sometimes it takes a long time for the symptoms to appear, especially if we don't use magic at all during that time, but it happens eventually."

"How long have you had the plague, Kim?"

At Trini's question, the Power Rangers fell to the chairs and couch, reality hitting them. Kimberly really was going to die, and for the first time ever there was nothing they could do to save her. "Ten years," she whispered. "Ten years ago the three of us cast a spell to rid Shamirin Prime of the plague, but we weren't strong enough. We were too damn confident and I realized at the last second that it wasn't going to work. Our spell didn't have a focus, one person through whom the energy was flowing, and I knew that if we didn't refocus the spell, the entire planet would catch the plague. I shifted the spell and became the focus. I got the plague, but Tommy and Jason were okay, and the planet was no worse off than it had been."

"How long do you have to live?"

Kimberly bit her lip at young Jason's question. "My nurse, Narethi, promised me no more than a week after the first power explosion. We have to find Shana, dead or alive, before then, so I can pass Anarii's power on to her."

"What if she's dead?"

"Then all hope for curing the plague dies with her." Kimberly smiled, remembering to the day she birthed Shana, tears in her eyes. "Tommy and I didn't have any children before I was infected, and we found out that I could only pass my powers onto a child who was born powerless or had her powers stripped when she was born. The same thing was true when Anarii was searching for her princess. Since there were no candidates, Anarii and Narethi determined that I had to have a child."

"Wouldn't you want to?"

"Of course I wanted a child, but Tommy and I hadn't quite gotten around to that yet. You see, Shamirii can live for a thousand or more years, and we had all the time we needed. When we found out that I had to get pregnant, I refused initially."

"Why?"

Kat answered Zack before Kimberly could speak again. "It's because of that power transfer thing you told me about, isn't it? Your power would pass to her and to Tommy and you didn't want either of them to suffer as you did."

"Exactly. When two Shamirii . . ." She blushed, looking at her husband. "This is so embarrassing, Tommy. When two Shamirii . . . make love, it's not just a physical thing. Empowered Shamirii can only conceive with the aid of Dragon Power—we don't control the power exactly, but the urge to have a child activates them. If Tommy and I even made love . . . he would catch it." She reached out and took Tommy's hand, unable to look at her husband. "We haven't even been able to sleep in the same bed for a decade. I have to wear a necklace that warns Tommy, Jason, and Narethi if I try to use my powers, intentionally or not."

"Then how did you conceive Shana?"

Tommy tuned in at Trini's question, eyes flying to Kimberly's face. Dying. How could she be dying? How could his future self permit it? "Don't you love her?" He didn't realize he had blurted his thoughts out until everyone turned to find the former white ranger staring at his future self.

The older Tommy gestured toward Tanya's bedroom. "Come with me. I can see that we have a lot of things to talk about."

Tommy sat down on the bed, glancing up at his future self, watching the Mage as he closed the door and leaned against the window, staring out. "It's not easy, being here. All I can see is the mistakes I made so long ago and I want to tell you what to do, what to change, to keep my past from becoming your future. But I can't. It's not that we have some sort of law to keep time travelers silent—because we don't—and it really hasn't happened that many times before, but Kimberly won't let us do anything to save her."

"Why not?"

The Mage laughed, glancing over his shoulder at the younger ex-Ranger. "I sometimes forget what I was like back then. What Kimberly didn't say is that our spell cured the Dragons of the plague. We need them more than we need powerful Shamirii. Anarii has created a spell for her heir to cast that will start to break the power dependency between the Dragons and the Shamirii. We won't be Mages anymore and we won't get the plague. It was Kim's idea. She doesn't want anyone else to suffer the loss of a loved one."

"What does Shana have to do with any of this?"

"She just might be the cure, Tommy. She was born with immense power but free of the plague. We had to use a powerful timed spell and a type of artificial insemination for Kimberly to get pregnant in the first place, and the procedure almost always guarantees a powerless child. When Shana was born, Baliree could hear her from Earth. She was born with power and free of the plague. It was a miracle." He smiled, staring out across the city, remembering simpler days when he was still human. "Kimberly can pass her power on with no fears, because her daughter is the cure. We couldn't give her the powers when she was born, and Kimberly wanted to wait until the last possible second to make sure that Shana is strong enough to handle the power. She doesn't have much time left, though."

"Why didn't you do anything to help her? I know that you love Kimberly because I still do and I will never stop. If there was anything I could do to save her, I would have."

"Don't you think I tried?!" Tommy whirled on his younger self, controlling the white power that enveloped his frame and threatened to fill the room. "I tried everything, but there was nothing I could do! The only thing we could do to keep Kimberly alive for as long as possible was to keep her from doing any magic at all. For nine years that worked, then Anarii and Narethi determined that Kimberly had to get pregnant. There was no choice and she was slowly creeping closer to the onset of the symptoms. A pregnancy takes a lot of power for a Shamiri, and Kimberly had to go into seclusion with some of the Dragons she cured and powerless Shamirii during her pregnancy. Jason and I weren't allowed under any circumstances to see her. You have no idea how hard it is to know where the woman you love is, but she's just out of reach and you can't see her."

"Yes I do," Tommy whispered, staring at his hands. "Do you remember how hard it was to let her go to Florida? I thought about her every day, and I wanted her so badly. I don't have to tell you how many times I thought about rushing off to Florida and bringing her home, how often I imagined sweeping her off her feet after the Pan-Globals and begging her to marry me."

"I just wanted to see her, hold her when the morning sickness was too much, tell her that she was beautiful with a big round belly, watch her lie there at night when she thought I was asleep and rub her belly, talking to our daughter," Tommy whispered, joining his younger self on the bed. "We had a direct holo-feed from her retreat to my room, and I called her at least twice a day. I wanted to be there, to share the experience with her. Some couples have been close enough that the husband would feel the baby kick as if he was the pregnant one. I wanted that, I wanted to lay my hand on her stomach and feel Shana and know that she was waiting to come out and join us. We knew that she wouldn't last long after giving birth, and all I wanted was to spend what time she had with her, but I had to stay away for our daughter's sake."

"I wrote her letters, but I'm so damn forgetful that I started to let them slide. I would let being a Ranger take more and more of my time until I devoted none to her, not calling, not writing; eventually I started thinking of Kat as the Pink Ranger. When that happened, I lost her. I don't blame Kimberly for what happened; I'm the one who stopped trying. She did everything she could to keep our relationship strong, but I was too weak. She deserves someone who cared, who would be there, who wouldn't let anything be more important than her. Once, that was me. Before she sent me that letter, I thought that we were okay, that everything was as it had been when she was in Angel Grove, but I was so wrong. It was like a wake-up call, and I chose not to acknowledge my mistakes. I let Kat and my own insecurities draw me away. I should have gone to Florida when I got that letter and told Kim how much I loved her and that I would do whatever it took to prove it, but I just went to the pond and felt sorry for myself."

"Narethi was vehemently opposed to me attending the birth, but she was my wife, damn it all, and I deserved to be there! So Jason and I teleported to her side the instant the first labor pains hit her, and there were seventeen Mages there to keep our powers separate. I was by her side the entire time, being there when she needed me most as I had not been when she went away to Florida, and then Shana was born and she was the most beautiful little baby . . . her first mental cry pierced the Mages' shields and reached all the way even to Earth and Kimberly cried when she learned that her baby was free of the plague."

"And now that I've finally realized what I did wrong, Dervalet captured Kimberly and I don't even know why she's still alive!"

"And now that I have her back in my arms where she belongs, Dervalet captured our baby and Kimberly's going to die within the week!"

The pair sighed and spoke together. "I've found her just in time to lose her." They looked at each other and laughed, the other's words finally registering, both feeling lighter and stronger after their talk. "We'll get her back from Dervalet," the Mage promised. "I love her and I won't deny her the last seventy-seven years of her life."

"She came back here to die, didn't she? Kimberly wanted to see her old friends and remember what they were like years ago, one last time before she passed her powers on to Shana and died."

"Yeah." The two Tommys stood up, smiling. "Shall we go see if she's finished with her explanation?"

* * *

TBC


	9. Confessions of the Red Ranger

**Live Like You Were Dying**

**Title:** Live Like You Were Dying  
**Author:** kazeko  
**Show: **Power Rangers  
**Rating:** PG 13  
**Chapters: **?  
**Series:** no, also no relation to "Children of the Gods"  
**Multipart:** yes  
**Time:** About a year after Power Rangers in Space, changing the Power Rangers timeline after that  
**Couple(s):** Tommy/Kimberly, Jason/Kat, Tanya/Adam  
**Disclaimer:** Saban and Disney own Power Rangers and they don't deserve it if they won't release MMPR on DVD!  
**Disclaimer 2:** I own everything else, including characters, other planets, and the plot.

* * *

Chapter 9: Confessions of the Red Ranger

* * *

Jason watched Kat listen to Kimberly's story, brushing his brown hair behind his pointed ears. His hair was almost as long as Kat's, though Kimberly had let hers grow to her feet in the last seventy years. She had hers braided around her head so the others couldn't tell, but Shamirii valued long hair as a sign of position and power.

He let his thoughts return to Kat, smiling at the sparkle in her light blue eyes, the way her blonde curls shone in the light, the way her warm spirit tried to reach out and comfort her friend. Kimberly had chosen her to be the second Pink Ranger because no one was more qualified, more kind, more loving, even if she did fall for the wrong man. Jason sighed and walked away from the window, leaving the apartment, wondering if anyone even noticed.

He wandered down to the park, knowing that he was dressed strangely even for Angel Grove and not even caring. He found the old oak tree and sat down beneath it, dark eyes staring out across the calm waters of the small pond. "I miss this."

"What?" He hadn't realized he had spoken out loud until Kat's gentle voice interrupted his musings. "What do you miss?"

"This calm. Life is a lot harder in the Adamarei Alliance. Please, join me Kat." He moved over and placed his cape on the ground for the second Pink Ranger. "You followed me?"

"Yeah. I wondered why you left."

"I lived it; Kim's little explanation just upsets me." Jason sighed and hung his head. "Tommy doesn't like to think about it anymore. They're my family, Kat; they're all I have left, and it's hard watching them deny the truth. Kim's dying and there's nothing any of us can do. I promised her that I would help take care of Shana, but that's all I can do for her."

Kat placed her small hand on Jason's shoulder, tears sparkling in her blue eyes. "Jason, why don't you have your own family? Are you waiting for something?"

"No. The woman I would have chosen is lost."

"Kimberly mentioned something like that. Who was she?" Kat didn't wait for an answer, knowing that the Mage had the same restraint Kimberly did. "She must have been a pretty special gal to catch your eye."

"She was. And gorgeous, too."

Kat grinned, glad that Jason seemed a little happier. "Tell me about her."

"There isn't that much I can say. She and I didn't know each other for very long. I never had to hide anything from her and she was so innocent. Not in a naïve kind of innocence, but a sweet, gentle, caring kind of innocence. No matter what life threw at her, she came up smiling. During some of our darker moments, I have missed her."

"Did you guys ever come back and visit Earth?"

"Once or twice. We eventually contacted the other ex-Rangers and told them what happened to us, and they wished us luck. We invited them to Kim and Tommy's wedding, and they managed to make some time away from their families to visit Adamaren Prime. It was a beautiful ceremony."

"She was there, wasn't she? And you wished that it was you and her getting married."

Jason nodded, staring off across the clear waters. "I really did, Kat."

Kat smiled. "I imagined marrying Tommy one day, long ago, but he never really stopped loving Kimberly. I really can't see now why I ever thought that he and I had a chance—all I have to do is look at them and see that they're meant for each other. Maybe they're having problems right now, but every couple does, and they fix them by your time." She let the silence claim them again.

* * *

"Jase, where have you been?"

"Talking to Kat. You?"

Tommy smiled as he and Jason sat on the couch, cupping one hand on top of another in their laps, eyes closing as they prepared to cast a locator spell. Kimberly and most of the ex-Rangers had gone to Jason and Rocky's dojo, knowing that they had to keep the princess away from any sort of power. Unbeknownst to the older Rangers, Jason had remained behind, curious about the two Mages. He watched from the next room as the pair prepared for their spell. "My stubborn younger self. He was finally convinced that I love Kimberly as much as he does. How was your conversation with Kat?"

Jason sighed and paused in his preparations for the spell, pained brown eyes startling his younger self. "It kinda hurts, to see her so young and innocent. I don't want my younger self to go off and leave her again. He really doesn't deserve to go through that pain." Pain? What was the older Mage talking about? Jason leaned closer, listening closely. "After all, I know that he's been thinking recently about his own happy ending."

"Bro, if anyone deserves to be happy, you do. Maybe you can drop hints so Jason will figure out that he's falling in love. It might make these later years easier. I'm sure it wouldn't hurt the timeline that much."

"I really love her," Jason whispered as both returned to their spell. "I just realized it far too late to do anything."

Love? Kat? Oh God . . .

Somehow the first Red Ranger managed to slip out of the apartment while the two Mages wove their locator spell, mind trying desperately to grasp his older self's words. How could he be in love with Kat? She was a really good friend, sure, and the time he had spent serving with her as Rangers was great, but she was taken.

He stopped short at his own mental words. "No she's not," he whispered. "Not anymore. I never let myself look at her because she was Tommy's girl."

_That didn't stop you with Kimberly. You didn't have to be stopped with Kimberly,_ he reminded himself.

"Well, sure, because she's like my little sister. I never saw her that way." He knew that anyone who walked past him on the way to the dojo would think him insane for carrying on a conversation with himself, but he really didn't care.

_And did you ever see Kat that way? Do you now?_

"I really don't know."

* * *

"I'm sorry, ma'am, but there just aren't any empty seats on this plane. No amount of money will change that."

"And this is the only flight?"

"From Miami to Angel Grove, yes. There will be one to Chicago tomorrow afternoon and one from Chicago to Angel Grove after that, but planes don't go there much anymore. There's no call for it, now that the Power Rangers are gone and all." The man at the ticket booth frowned at the tears in the young woman's eyes. "Look, miss, I'm really sorry, but I can't help you."

"Maybe I can." One of the passengers, a tall woman with strawberry blonde hair and silvery gray eyes smiled as she approached the counter and handed the man two tickets. She placed two tickets on the counter, one with her name on the face and the other blank. Flashing the appropriate ID, the woman smiled at the pink-clad brunette and held out her free hand. "I'm Alina. You?"

"K-Kimberly," she managed, taking the woman's hand. "You sound Australian."

"I am. You sound like you're from California, so I'd guess that you need to get back home—which looks to be Angel Grove. How'd you know I was Australian, anyway?"

"You mean and not British? I've got a friend back home, in Angel Grove. I need to get there as soon as possible." Kimberly glanced at Shana, smiling. She wasn't really sure what prompted this sudden urge to fly, but she wasn't going to fight the child. Wait, she knew an Aussie? Who? When? The image of a tall blonde with blue eyes flashed through her mind, but it was gone as quickly as it materialized. "But the plane is full."

"Not true. I've got two tickets, but my brother couldn't make it and I was afraid the second seat would go to waste. Are you heading home to see her father?" Alina cast her eyes over the young mother, wondering what could have happened to the brunette in Florida. The child looked so much like her mother that it was scary, but she didn't seem to have anything to take care of her with.

"Yes, I am. I have to get there soon."

"Then take the extra ticket." Alina handed a pen to Kimberly and pointed at the small scrap of paper. The man watched, smiling, as the woman neatly printed 'Kimberly Ann Hart and Shana Rose Oliver' in the blank. "Kimberly Hart? The gymnast?"

"Yes, that's right. I can't thank you enough . . ."

"Please don't. I'm glad I could help. Do you have any bags or anything?"

Kimberly shook her head. "They're at my apartment, and I can't go home—He knows where I live."

Alina bristled protectively as she led the young mother onto the plane, gathering her bags and swinging them over one shoulder. Someone had scared the gymnast badly, and she no longer felt safe in Miami. She seemed so determined to get back to her home, and Alina realized that she did not doubt that the petite mother could do whatever she needed to in order to protect her child. She decided to choose a safe topic as she led Kimberly to their two first-class seats, touching the sleepy baby. "Shana? That's her name?"

"Yeah." Kimberly's eyes softened as she smiled at the baby, leaning back so Alina could help her fasten her seatbelt. "It means 'Miracle'."

"Really? What language?"

"I'm not sure. Tommy picked it."

"I assume he's Mr. Oliver, her father?"

"Yeah." A darkness seemed to envelop the young woman at the mention of Tommy, and Alina wondered if he even knew about his child. After all, he and Kimberly didn't seem to be married, and maybe the young gymnast was afraid of his reaction when he found out. She decided to change topics and grabbed the first thing that came to mind.

"So, what's it like to be a world-famous gymnast?"

* * *

TBC


	10. Confessions of a Blue Ranger

**Live Like You Were Dying**

**Title:** Live Like You Were Dying  
**Author:** kazeko  
**Show: **Power Rangers  
**Rating:** PG 13  
**Chapters: **?  
**Series:** no, also no relation to "Children of the Gods"  
**Multipart:** yes  
**Time:** About a year after Power Rangers in Space, changing the Power Rangers timeline after that  
**Couple(s):** Tommy/Kimberly, Jason/Kat, Tanya/Adam  
**Disclaimer:** Saban and Disney own Power Rangers and they don't deserve it if they won't release MMPR on DVD!  
**Disclaimer 2:** I own everything else, including characters, other planets, and the plot.

* * *

Chapter 10: Billy's Gift

* * *

"I don't know why I can't get a trace on Kimberly. It's almost like she's being blocked, but it doesn't feel like Dervalet's current Mage. Maybe he got a new one?"

Tommy shook his head at Jason's suggestion. "Unlikely. He only had the one Mage when he came—Azaemer, I believe—and he cannot call another. We are the only ones who can open that gateway."

The two looked up as Rocky, Adam, Tanya, and Zack reentered the apartment, Aisha, Kat, and Trini helping a steadily-weakening Kimberly sit in the nearest chair, a somber young Jason and Tommy bringing up the rear. Jason glanced at his future self and looked away, and the two Mages exchanged a startled glance. _"What's wrong with your younger self, Bro?"_

"_I have no idea,"_ Jason murmured, giving no outward sign of the tight telepathic communication. He reached out with his mind and included Kimberly in the exchange, wondering if she had noticed anything strange.

"_Yeah, I guess. He was a little late to the dojo, and he seemed a little worried and thoughtful. He talked to Tommy and they both clammed up, pulling away from the rest of the group. I know he'll never tell me what he's thinking, but I might be able to enlist Kat or Rocky's aid." _She paused, knowing that Kat could tell she was conversing with her husband and soul-brother as she tilted her head, glancing at the three small crystals lying on the table between the Mages. _"How did your search go?"_

"_We didn't find either of them, Beautiful."_

Kimberly stifled a sob and turned away, gaining control of her emotions as the room silenced. "That's okay; I'm sure she's fine." Kimberly clenched her fists as silvery light snaked across her body again, the visible deterioration of the would-be-queen pulling her husband to her side. Tommy wrapped his arms around his wife, holding her as her shaking subsided. "I don't think Dervalet has them anymore, Kimberly. I think maybe your younger self managed to get Shana away from him. Don't lose hope; we'll get her back in time for the transfer."

"You don't have much time," she whispered, struggling to stand. Tommy easily scooped her into his arms and carried the slight woman, heading for Tanya's room, taking Kimberly to what he knew would be her death bed. As the three Mages vanished into the next room, Aisha pulled the other Rangers to one side, tears in her dark eyes.

"Look, they're magical locator spells are wonderful things when they're not being blocked, but we've forgotten that we're human and we used to be Rangers. We have other ways to find Kimberly and Shana."

"Aisha's right. Some of us still can be looking for Kimberly and Shana the old-fashioned human way, the Internet, and the rest of us can head out to the ruins of the old Command Center and see if there's anything left we can use." Jason looked around, counting heads. "Okay; Tommy, you, Tanya, Adam, Kat, and I will work on finding Kimberly, while Trini, Zack, Aisha, and Rocky will dig up the old base. This makes me wish Billy were here again—he'd find her in a second."

"I know," Trini sighed, "but we can pull it off."

Tanya pointed at the computer on the other side of the couch. "Adam and I will work from here; you three can go to the dojo."

The nine ex-Rangers nodded and split, Jason glancing at Kat before turning back to Tommy. The white Ranger shrugged and headed for Jason's apartment above his dojo, heading for the pair of computers the ex-Red Rangers kept there. "You'll just have to talk to her about what you heard," he murmured. "You have to decide if what you heard is true and what you want to do about it."

"That's just it, Tommy. I have no idea. It's all so confusing. Why can't love be simpler and why is it so hard to decipher your own feelings?"

"I don't know. I still haven't figured everything out, but I can tell you that if you ever find love, real love, don't ever let her go. Fight for her, and don't make the mistakes I did. You don't want Kat to end up like Kimberly."

* * *

Jason groaned and leaned back in the chair, smiling when Kat handed him a glass of water. "I swear, she just vanished off the face of the Earth!"

"No luck?"

"None. I wonder how Tommy's doing?"

Kat glanced through the door to Rocky's room where Tommy was deep in research mode. He wasn't using just human methods and the internet to scan for his lost love; he was also tapping into the system of back doors and digital pathways Billy and Alpha 5 had built to research other things, especially Ranger-related ones. He figured that if they could use that database and system to find Kimberly in Lord Zedd's palace on the Moon, he could use it to find her on Earth. However, Billy's safeguards were incredibly difficult to crack through, and he had only been partially successful. Kat's summary was brief. "He never loses hope. If Kimberly wasn't sleeping in Tanya's room, I'd doubt that Dervalet left her alive."

"I'm beginning to fear the same thing, though." Jason sighed as Kat began to massage some of the tension out of his shoulders, sighing as his muscles stretched and relaxed. "That feels wonderful. Thanks."

"You know, I was talking to your future self earlier, and I think he's lonely."

"I know he is. I heard him talking to Tommy before they did their spell. They had no idea I was there, of course."

"Then maybe you can tell me why your future self is so much in love with me."

Jason whirled around in his seat, shocked. "You know?"

"He's not much better than you at hiding his true feelings," Kat smiled, pulling up her own chair. "It kind of surprised me, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that, though I finally admitted that I couldn't be with Tommy, I never considered that I could be with someone else. Now that I think about it, I've kind of been sulking the past couple of years. I never thought about anything beyond my failed relationship with Tommy. Seeing them from the future, I realized that I can't keep holding onto that fantasy any longer. No matter when Kimberly dies, she and Tommy will be together and if I don't try to figure out my feelings, I will be alone forever. Besides, I don't want you to turn out as lonely as the Mage Jason is."

"What should we do about it?"

Kat smiled. "Well, most people who are trying to figure out how much they like each other go out on a date of sorts."

Jason let his smile join the blonde Aussie's as he nodded. "That works for normal people. If we were Kimberly and Tommy, we would have started out fighting each other and then grown closer as we fought Rita until I lost my power and you were there for me and I finally found the courage to ask you out on a date."

"I wish I could have seen some of that," Kat laughed, trying to envision a shy Tommy stumbling over his words as he desperately tried to invite Kimberly to a dance.

"It was nice watching their relationship grow. I always wanted a relationship like that."

Kat placed a friendly hand on Jason's cheek. "Then we'll take it slow and see, shall we? Maybe we'll know the answer before Baliree comes."

"If she comes, Kat, and we figured out what we mean to each other, I won't leave you behind. I think that's what older Jason was trying to say to you."

"We'll see."

* * *

_"Tommy, I found some of Billy's old codes. They're musical, which is why you might be having trouble." _

"Can you pipe them though the communicator?"

Tommy heard a brief burst of static as Rocky fiddled with the communicator and turned on the console. A simple tune with a complicated harmony filtered through the tiny speaker and into the microphone of the computer, and the line of code Tommy had been trying to crack finally blinked green and opened a huge file. Rocky sent another code, similar to the first, and another group of files became visible. _"How's that?" _

"Perfect! Thanks, man. Let me know if you find anything else."

_"Will do. I doubt it, since the damage is so extensive, but we found some of Billy's star charts, and there is a planet dubbed 'Shamirin Prime.' Apparently Billy, Zordon, and Alpha knew about the Adamarei Alliance, at least in passing. There's some sort of com code here, labeled for a Duchess Baliree and one for Queen Anarii. I also found a file labeled 'Mages'. The only name I recognize is Azaemer." _

"Azaemer? Like Dervalet's Mage?"

_"Yeah, I guess. I'll send it to Billy's little file system that you found and you see if you can determine how useful this is. Does Kat still have that PDA? I'm sure you can just download Billy's files and especially his codes in case they come in handy later." _

"Good idea, Rocko. I guess I'll go back to searching."

_"Just a sec, Tommy. There's this one file I found with the Mages bit that you should look at. Billy named it 'Shana Rose'. You might want to ask your future self what the name means in their language. It's a sound file, but not really music. I'd put that on the PDA in case we need it." _

"Will do. Teleport back when you finish; if we haven't found anything, Jase, Kat, and I will still be here." Tommy turned the communicator off and sighed as he glanced at the names of the files filling his screen. He changed to a more manageable list view, grouping the files by type and sorting them into folders. It looked like Billy had dumped all of that information into one big file and double-encoded it just before leaving for Aquitar, but why? The names meant nothing to him. "Zameri'net," Tommy murmured. Shrugging, seeing no files with English names, he double-clicked the file and watched as Word struggled to life, lines of strange words and letters scrolling across the screen. A dialogue box popped up, asking 'do you want Dictami to Translate?'

"What's 'Dictami'?" Tommy wondered out loud.

To his shock, a small icon-like person no more than two inches tall appeared in the corner of his screen, dressed in blue, a Dragon crouched behind him. "Hello," the tiny man smiled. "My name is Dictami, and I am an interactive Shamiret Translation machine. I can speak seventy-seven languages and their accompanying dialects from the Adamarei Alliance and hundreds of languages and dialects from the planet Earth, Protectorate of Azareth Region. I was created by William Cranston after contact with the Shamirii was made and a treaty established between Duchess Baliree of Azareth with the blessing of Queen Anarii and Zordon of Eltar in the name of Earth."

"Zordon made a treaty with the Shamirii and never told any of us?"

"Yes, many decades ago. He never thought to mention them since they are currently trying to cure a plague that has ravaged their systems for centuries."

"Oh, right. Well, if these files of Billy's are in Shamiret, can you translate and tell me what it is?"

"Yes, I can. Please tell me your name."

Tommy raised an eyebrow. "Tommy Oliver."

Dictami grew slightly larger as his Dragon curled up and went to sleep, apparently the signal that his name was acceptable to the system. The strange letters shifted and changed to English, and Dictami waved his hand to highlight key sections. "This is the treaty Zordon of Eltar and Baliree of Adamarei created. Is there anything you'd like to know about the treaty?"

"Can I save it in English?"

"Done."

"Can you translate the file names?"

Word closed and the Dragon vanished, obviously keyed to the program, and Dictami stood at the bottom edge of the file folder Tommy had opened. "Zameri'net means 'Treaty of Coexistence'. That is what made Earth a Protectorate."

"That one, 'Mages', is in English. Rocky said that he recognized the name of one of the Mages in that file, Azaemer."

"Azaemer is mentioned many times. I imagine Billy left that file in English as part of his own notes since he never completely learned Shamiret written language. The Mage Azaemer, formerly a diplomat, helped to negotiate the Earth-Adamarei Treaty."

Tommy smiled as a sudden idea struck him. "Hey, Dictami, what else can you sift through?"

"I can find anything through the human interactive database known as the 'internet' that links all information if one knows where to look. Is there something you would like me to find?"

"Yeah, a woman. Her name is Kimberly Ann Hart, and she was last seen Miami, Florida, before the three Shamirin Mages from the future arrived."

Dictami nodded and minimized the folder, opening the Internet Explorer window and beginning his search. The Dragon reappeared, glancing up now and then as files and pictures filled the page. The newest one was almost two months old. "There doesn't seem to be anything useful in the public domain. Dastirri will help me enter the not-so-public domain."

"You can hack into secured sites?"

"Dastirri can. She contains all of the codes and software Billy used to track Zedd's movement and to download experimental technology that he used to keep the Zords you used up-to-date. Give us a second." Dictami blinked, and the screen showed a short piece of a video obviously from a security tape, showing Kimberly walking away from her apartment building with a tall man. The man exuded evil, his burgundy eyes shaded and shifty, his black hair pulled back to reveal the sharp lines of his face.

"Dervalet," Tommy whispered. "Why would she go away with him?"

"Unknown. Checking." The screen focused on a small corner of the picture, showing a dark blue car that seemed to be rented. Dervalet and Kimberly climbed in and it sped away. Dictami froze the image and enhanced the license plate, a list of possible numbers scrolling along the edge of the screen. A small box appeared on top of the list and blinked as Dastirri entered one of her codes, blinking and allowing access to the rental car company's database of license numbers. One turned red and the rest vanished as Dictami pulled up the information for that car. "The car is rented under the name Derrick Lin. I am running a search on the name now." With the little Dragon's help, Dictami pulled up another file, listing an apartment in Miami rented to Derrick Lin with Andrew Merit and Kali Lin listed as occupants. "Here. This is where he took her."

Tommy's cry of triumph summoned Jason and Kat to his side, and he downloaded Dictami and Dastirri to Kat's PDA, slipping the small wireless device into his pocket. As an afterthought, Tommy downloaded the treaty and the sound file Rocky had thought was strange. Calling Rocky, he gave the second Red Ranger the address and sent a brief message to tell his older self where they were headed. The nine ex-Rangers teleported to Miami once more.

* * *

TBC 


	11. Confessions of a Diplomat Mage

**Live Like You Were Dying**

**Title:** Live Like You Were Dying  
**Author:** kazeko  
**Show: **Power Rangers  
**Rating:** PG 13  
**Chapters: **?  
**Series:** no, also no relation to "Children of the Gods"  
**Multipart:** yes  
**Time:** About a year after Power Rangers in Space, changing the Power Rangers timeline after that  
**Couple(s):** Tommy/Kimberly, Jason/Kat, Tanya/Adam  
**Disclaimer:** Saban and Disney own Power Rangers and they don't deserve it if they won't release MMPR on DVD!  
**Disclaimer 2:** I own everything else, including characters, other planets, and the plot.

* * *

Chapter 11: Confessions of a Diplomat Mage

* * *

The group appeared in the middle of a small living-room, a tall man with black hair reclining on the sole couch. "I was wondering if you humans would ever come. She's not here anymore."

Tommy clenched his fists, the tiny bloodstone on his necklace glowing menacingly. "What did you do to her, Dervalet?"

"I did nothing to her," the man oozed, "but I may do something to you."

With no more warning than that, A net of dark magic enveloped the group as an older, heavyset Shamiri with dully pointed ears, dark green eyes, and dark brown hair tinted gray with age entered the room, hands held above his head. Tommy raised his hands to show that he had no weapon, indicating to the other ex-Rangers that they should not attack. "Azaemer ni'Lamyiaan, I presume?"

The Mage lowered his hands. "Yes, I am."

"You speak English very well for a Shamiri."

"_How do you know my full name? Even Dervalet does not."_ Tommy showed no outward sign that he had received the telepathic message from the Mage, raising one eyebrow as he waited for a verbal response.

Dervalet stood at the mention of his name, glancing at Azaemer. "Azaemer, can you keep these nine humans busy? Kapiire and I have to go use that locator orb you gave us to find that stupid girl. And this time we will kill her." He swept out of the room, leaving one nervous old Mage and nine ex-Rangers.

"I know your full name because you signed your full name on the Earth/Adamarei Protection Treaty one hundred years ago, your time." The other Rangers, having no idea what Tommy was talking about, exchanged startled glances as the net of magic vanished and Azaemer fell onto the couch, sighing.

"Tell me what you know, young Tommy Oliver."

Tommy sat across from Azaemer and pulled out the PDA, glancing at Dictami. "Play the file for Azaemer, Dictami."

Dictami nodded and the file opened, Zordon's deep voice booming from the tiny speakers. **_"Azaemer ni'Lamyiaan zuarta-aaviess nifurrah asza Zordon ni'Eltarhet. Earth adan Azareth-pintaa ziarrten-lu minakresh Adamarei Anshiaat duroul turr'zaaviess, Zameri'net."_**

"_Azaemer of Lamyiaan and Zordon of the Eltari do hereby come to this final agreement," _Azaemer's voice on the recording translated into English. _"Earth in the Azareth Region is hereby and forever a Protectorate of the Adamarei Alliance and will be exempt from all civil wars and conflicts thereof until treaties change, under this Treaty of Coexistence."_

"**_I am glad we could come to this agreement, Azaemer. I hope we will be allies for a long time."_**

"_So do I, Zordon. Queen Anarii sends her best. Here is the copy of the Treaty. Keep it in a safe place. If you ever need our help, here is young Duchess Baliree's com line."_

"**_I agree with that sentiment. And if the Alliance ever has need of my services, do not hesitate to come and ask. I cannot leave, of course, but I will have some of my Power Rangers visit the Adamarei Alliance."_**

"_When are you going to recruit them again, by the way? You haven't had Rangers in a long time."_

"**_There is no need yet. But if you have need, they will be here."_**

The recording ended, and Tommy raised an eyebrow, waiting for the Mage to speak. "That was a long time ago," Azaemer whispered, his age echoing in his voice. "That was back when I was young and a diplomat. But when my uncle passed his power onto me and Dervalet hired me as his family Mage, I changed."

"You may have, but the treaty did not and your agreement with Zordon did not. He's dead, but his promise still stands." Tommy called up the Zameri'net file and glanced at the highlighted section, grateful that Dictami seemed to know what he was looking for. "Please forgive me for reading in English; I don't know enough Shamiret to read in your language." Azaemer nodded, and Tommy began. "Let's see, this passage describes the responsibilities of Earth, including 'to provide empowered fighters known as Power Rangers to help defend the Adamarei Alliance from internal or external threats.' That of course is why Baliree was able to take the Tommy, Jason, and Kimberly you know. Under this treaty they were obliged to obey the summons, even if they didn't know of them. Here's a very important part: 'under no circumstances and at no time may a member or former member of the Adamarei Alliance attack, harm, kill, rape, kidnap, coerce, bribe, blackmail . . . a member of the Human race on the planet Earth'. I know that we are included, since the nine of us are Humans."

"You're ex-Rangers," Azaemer sighed, leaning his head back, knowing that he had lost but determined to fight anyway. "You aren't covered under that clause."

"Here's the one about Rangers," Dictami piped up. "It reads: 'all Power Rangers, current or former, no matter how long they helped Zordon ni'Eltarhet defend Earth against nvaders, are eligible for service in the Adamarei Alliance under certain restrictions listed in Section Four for as long as they are needed by the queen for a term not to exceed their human life-spans unless they agree to be enhanced as Shamirii with the Dragon Power temporarily or permanently. The order must come along the chain of command from Queen Anarii (or the current queen) and Duchess Baliree (or the current Duchess of Azareth Region under which Earth is a Protectorate). The Rangers must be informed of the particulars of the request and no Mage may act without the orders of the royals. Until a Ranger has been approached by a member of the Adamarei Nobility and their service specifically requested, any action against them must be judged as an action by a Shamiri against a member of the Human Race of Earth unless the Ranger is a current and active member of the Earth Defense Team, in which case special instructions listed in Section Four Subsection B apply and any amendments added by Zordon ni'Eltarhet apply'."

Tommy looked up at Azaemer, reaching out and resting a friendly hand on the old Mage's shoulders. The Shamiri looked up, defeated, and started at the friendliness in the Human's brown eyes. "Look, Azaemer, I don't want to fight you on this. I know you serve Dervalet because your powers came from a source attached to his Powerless House, and I know that much of what you do is against your will. But the Human you kidnapped is protected under the treaty, and I love her dearly. I want to—I need to—find her, and I need your help for that. In the recording you said that Humans are protected from civil wars and internal conflicts of the Adamarei Alliance. Does this count?"

"Yes."

"And what are Mages in service to the Zameri'net required to do in such a circumstance? Does responsibility to the laws of the Alliance overrule any contracts between individual Mages and Houses?"

Azaemer nodded, a youthful and relieved light entering his old green eyes. "Yes, it does override any responsibility I have to obey Dervalet. I must protect the innocent human ex-Ranger, no matter what she may become in my future. If it hasn't happened yet, it doesn't count." Tommy smiled as the Mage stood, strength in his bones for the first time in many decades. "I know where he went, and your alanhi will not be safe until we find and restrain him. Then I can try to track Kimberly."

"Thank you, Azaemer ni'Lamyiaan."

"No, Tommy ni'Oliver, thank you. It feels good to do the right thing again."

* * *

Tommy brushed the stray hair away from his wife's peaceful face, listening to her dreams as she slept. The web of silver power was constant now, reminding Tommy of when Kimberly lost her Pink Ranger powers so long ago. "I love you so much, Beautiful," he whispered, hearing the tears in his own voice. "I don't know how I'll go on without you."

Jason, watching from the open door, sighed. He knew without any thought that Tommy would not long survive the death of his soul mate. If the grief didn't kill him, the Mage might take his own life. It was very rare for a Mage to live long past the death of their partner. He regretted that he had never experienced the close bond Kimberly and Tommy shared, and he wondered if he should tell his younger self not to let Kat get away. Every person got one shot at true love, but he blew his and there were no second chances. If he wasn't so Dragon-wise, he might tempt fate and throw his worries to the wind. But even before she got sick, Kimberly had shown his that the future is unalterable and that he had to make the best of the lot he had been given. Loneliness.

"I'm sorry, Jase," Tommy whispered, never looking up. The three of them were so close that he didn't have to. "I know what it's like to be alone, and I'll know again very soon. Who knows, maybe we were wrong all along. Maybe the future can be changed."

"I doubt it."

Both looked up as the Rangers returned, the spike of power in the living-room waking even Kimberly. Tommy gently pushed her back onto the bed, holding her as another power surge wracked her small frame. He covered her up and told her to rest as he followed Jason into the main room, both Mages bristling. "Dervalet," Jason hissed. The Diplomat-Mage Azaemer smiled as he dumped the bound man in a nearby chair with his daughter, locking both in a magical net. "You . . . caught him?"

"With Azaemer's generous help," young Tommy smiled. "He helped write the Treaty of Coexistence that makes Earth a Protectorate in Azareth Region. Anyway, Azaemer says that Dervalet kidnapped Kimberly—specifically forbidden by the Zameri'net—because Shana was hungry and wouldn't accept any other nurse. He was going to kill both of them when Kimberly died before passing on her powers or use them to force her to give the Queen Powers to Kapiire. Anyway, apparently even as a Human ex-Power Ranger Kimberly was compatible with Shana's powers and she linked with her to teleport herself away. I imagine she's still too young to use her powers herself. As far as Azaemer knows, Kimberly and Shana are somewhere in Miami."

The white-robbed Mage nodded, his heart singing at the news that his daughter was alive and in Kimberly's capable hands. "Can you find her? Shana's cloaking spells would hide her even from me; only Kim would be able to break through, and she can't."

Tommy nodded and took a seat on the couch, pulling out the PDA as Jason and Kat moved into one corner, the older Jason moved back to stand at the doorway to Kim's room, and the other Rangers headed out onto the balcony for some fresh air. Dictami appeared on the small screen, smiling as he began his search for Kimberly again. Dastirri appeared behind him as they began to decode more sites and security tapes, a sharp cry of joy piercing the eerie silence. "Found her!"

The Rangers gathered around, the call audible from outside, as the two Mages leaned over young Tommy's shoulder. The tiny screen showed a passenger list from a straight flight from Miami to Angel Grove. The last name on the list was 'Kimberly Ann Hart' with 'Shana Rose Oliver' as her child. "How did she know?"

Jason glanced at his friend, shaking his head. "Shana looks a lot like you, Bro, and Kim's younger self must have made the connection. I imagine she heard her first name from Dervalet and must have figured out her middle name."

Tommy tapped a few buttons, a smile spreading across his youthful face. "She'll be here in an hour. We should be at the airport to meet her. Then this whole chase will be over and Kimberly will be safe in my arms once more."

* * *

TBC


	12. Confessions of a Famous Gymnast

**Live Like You Were Dying**

**Title:** Live Like You Were Dying  
**Author:** kazeko  
**Show: **Power Rangers  
**Rating:** PG 13  
**Chapters: **?  
**Series:** no, also no relation to "Children of the Gods"  
**Multipart:** yes  
**Time:** About a year after Power Rangers in Space, changing the Power Rangers timeline after that  
**Couple(s):** Tommy/Kimberly, Jason/Kat, Tanya/Adam  
**Disclaimer:** Saban and Disney own Power Rangers and they don't deserve it if they won't release MMPR on DVD!  
**Disclaimer 2:** I own everything else, including characters, other planets, and the plot.

* * *

Chapter 12: Confessions of a Famous Gymnast

* * *

Alina smiled at the mother sleeping so peacefully beside her, shirt only half-closed since little Shana only just finished her latest meal. That child never cried or complained about anything, and Alina knew for a fact that she was the princess. Time paradoxes gave her a headache, ever since her future self appeared in her bedroom and explained that if she didn't help, the Adamarei Alliance would collapse. Making sure that no one was looking, Alina pulled out a tiny stone and watched as the face of her leader appeared above the clear purple facets. "Hey, lover."

Baliree frowned, a glint in her emerald eyes. _"Now, now, Alina. Never mix business with pleasure."_

"But you're so boring in Duchess mode," Alina teased. Her own gray eyes calmed as she glanced at Kimberly. "I found the girl you wanted, but she's not in Miami anymore."

"_What do you mean? I still get a trace on her there."_

"Let's just say that someone else with power is trying to change the future. She's on the run, heading back to Angle Grove as quickly as this plane can go. I'm watching her, but I won't say anything until you get here."

"_I will be there soon. I know there is something you are not telling me—I can sense it from here."_

"This secret I must keep, my love."

Baliree's green eyes narrowed, but she knew better than to push the subject. _"Very well. Just keep her safe until I get there."_

"How long?"

"_A week, tops." _She left the ghostly imprint of a kiss on Alina's lips as she pulled away and the crystal went dark. Alina replaced the stone in her pocket and leaned back in her seat, reaching out with her mind.

"_The baby chose her mother to protect her,"_ she informed her future self. _"Bali will be here within the week. I hope your people are all gone by then or the future might be irreparably altered."_

"_Do not worry,"_ the older Mage purred._ "We will be gone by then. Just watch her."_

"I am," Alina whispered, reaching over and caressing the baby's soft cheek. Shana gurgled happily, apparently recognizing that the gray-eyed woman was there to protect her, and Alina pulled out a blanket and wrapped it around the mother and child. "Sleep well, little princesses."

* * *

"You didn't call ahead?"

Kimberly bit her lip and looked away. "Nobody knows that I'm coming. I don't even know if they want to see me."

Alina smiled as she followed the petite brunette into the airport, noting the signs toting Angel Grove as "The Home of the Power Rangers". She noticed that Kimberly winced at the picture of the "original five", as the sign noted. There was a Red Ranger in the front with a Yellow and Pink on one side and Black and Blue on the other. Their colorful suits were covered in white diamonds, their gloves and boots colored in similar patterns, and Alina found herself wondering how long Kimberly had been on the team. All Baliree had told her was that she was the Pink Ranger, but not for how long. "I know they'll want to see you, Kimberly. Do you know where we can find your Tommy?"

Kimberly shook her head as they headed outside to a small patch of green in front of the airport and she looked around for a taxi. Alina placed her bag on the ground and pulled out the phone Bali had given her to help her blend in, tapping some of the buttons as she searched for the number of her human contact. Before she could call, a cry from the parking lot caught Kimberly's attention. "Kimberly!!" A tall man with long brown hair dashed up to the pair, eight men and women behind him. Kimberly shrunk away from the man in white, brown eyes wide, and he stopped, hands held in front of him. "Hey, Kim," he tried a bit more cautiously. "I'm glad you made it here in one piece."

Kimberly looked at the baby in her arms, tears in her eyes. "Why didn't you tell me, Tommy? Whose is she?"

Tommy glanced at Alina, the stone on his neck glowing faintly. She sighed at the human, knowing what was bothering him. "I'm from Shamirin Prime, suspicious Ranger. I'm here to watch over Kimberly until Baliree arrives. Whatever you need to say, don't let my presence hinder you. However, I would suggest retiring to a less public place."

Tommy nodded as he looked at Shana for the first time. A smile stole across his face as the other Rangers moved forward for a closer look at the quiet baby. "She looks so much like you, Beautiful," he whispered.

"No she doesn't. She looks like you."

Aisha grinned as she stepped forward and gently embraced her friend. "She had better look like both of you or our visitors from the future are sadly mistaken. She belongs to both of you, Kimberly, or she will. Why don't we all go back to Tanya's apartment and everything will be explained."

Kimberly pulled the tiny baby closer to her, fear sparking in the depths of her brown eyes. "You're not taking her from me," she warned, glancing at Alina. A fainter version of the same distrust colored her eyes as she glanced at the Shamiri. "I thought you said you were Australian."

"Australian?" A tall blonde with bright blue eyes stepped forward, glancing at Alina. "I guess the accent would fool an American, but not me. How long have you lived there?"

"I've been on assignment in Australia for three decades, at least, after my apprenticeship ended. I had to learn the accent to make my role more believable."

"It almost worked," the blonde admitted. She stepped closer to Kimberly and rested a kind hand on her shoulder. "You don't have anything to worry about, Kimberly. None of us would dare take a child from her mother. Years ago you trusted me enough to give me your Power Coin and your place on the team. Now I'm asking you to trust me enough to get into Tommy's jeep and ride into town. I promise that neither of you will be hurt and that everything will be explained. What do you say?"

Kimberly slowly nodded and followed Kat to Tommy's Jeep, letting the blonde help her into the front seat as she gestured for Alina to join her and Jason in the back seat as they piled her luggage in. Tanya, Adam, Trini, Zack, Rocky, and Aisha squeezed into Tanya's car, her boyfriend in the front as the other two Yellow Rangers managed to squeeze between Zack and Rocky in the back. It would have been harder if it wasn't a convertible. The two cars, sufficiently laden with former Power Rangers and two Shamirii, sped into town, taking the tiny baby so secure in Kimberly's arms to her real mother. Tommy kept glancing over at Kimberly, wondering if the scenery was helping her memory return, noting the smile on her face as they passed the Youth Center and the sigh of longing as the park sped by. She kept looking toward where the Command Center once stood, and a frown furrowed her brow. She was trying so hard, but certain parts of her memory refused to return. Closing her eyes, she let the wind flying through her hair and the warm afternoon sun calm her.

The ten Rangers and Alina rode the lone elevator to Tanya's apartment, Shana's baby murmurs the only sound to penetrate the silence. Tommy kept one eye on Kimberly, wondering what she was thinking, and the bloodstone on his neck glowed as images of her time as a Ranger flowed into his mind. Shocked, he realized that Shana's powers had allowed her future mother to communicate telepathically, and he had automatically reached for her mind. Prepared to pull out and respect her privacy, Tommy caught the memory of their first kiss, and she sighed softly. Tommy searched his mind and sent her other images of their years together, sensing the block she had erected in her mind begin to crumble as he reached out and touched her arm. _"You have nothing to be afraid of,"_ he whispered in her mind. _"Let the past return, Beautiful, or you'll never have a future."_

Before the gymnast could respond, the elevator announced its arrival on Tanya's floor, and the group filed into the hall. Tanya opened the door and led the Rangers in, Alina slipping past and giving Tommy and Kimberly a few seconds alone in the hall. "Tommy, why can't I remember everything? I can remember so little of my time here in Angel Grove, especially the High School years. Who was I? Was I one of those Power Rangers that I saw on the signs in the airport?"

"Yeah, you were. I know why you're repressing that part, though. Look, Beautiful, when you're ready to remember, you will. Don't push it, or you might hurt yourself. All we need to do right now is get little Shana Rose to her parents."

* * *

The three Mages looked up as the Rangers returned, Tommy no longer among them, a new woman in their midst. Tanya glanced outside and closed the door as the woman with strawberry blonde hair and gray eyes placed her bag in the corner and smiled at the three Mages sitting calmly in the living room. "So, my future self was right. You three did come back."

"Alina? Alina ni'Tayiessru? Why are you here? I thought you were on Lamithar helping to bring them into the Alliance."

"Perhaps in your time—I assume you are Tommy ni'Oliver?—but here I am still a Zameri'lefiru for the Earth/Adamarei Zameri'net. Baliree called on me to help her find her princess and watch over her."

Jason and Tommy exchanged a confused glance as Azaemer stood and bowed to Alina. "Hello, my young apprentice. I hear you're based in Australia at the moment?"

Alina nodded. "Azaemer ni'Lamyiaan. I imagine you are from seventy-seven years in the future, like my counterpart."

"I am. You spoke to your future self?"

"She seemed concerned that Kimberly and Shana would not escape Miami. I deflected a powerful brush that tasted like one of your spells, and I imagine that brush would have killed either one or both of them."

All eyes turned to the bedroom as Kimberly stumbled out of bed, leaning on the door frame as silver power snaked across her body. Her eyes were glowing silver, the plague slowly taking more and more of her life force. "Where is she? I can sense her." At that moment the door opened and Kimberly walked in, little Shana secure in her arms, Tommy entering behind her and closing the door. The eyes of the two women met, and the Mage stumbled forward, reaching out for the child that the young gymnast passed to her without hesitation. Shana smiled as her real mother pulled her into her arms, tears streaking the woman's cheeks as her silver power enveloped her body, joining the pale rose color Shana exuded. The baby gurgled as more and more silver flowed into her until Kim had none left. Tommy and Jason moved forward as the power faded and the mother swayed, eyes fading back to brown as Jason caught Shana and Tommy pulled his wife into his arms. "There," Kimberly whispered. "All done."

Young Kimberly felt Tommy wrap his arms around her as the Rangers moved back and watched the two Mages. They could tell that Kimberly was fading fast, and they knew that the Mages wanted to be as alone as possible. "Beautiful?"

"I . . . I can't see, Tommy." She swallowed, digging her fingers into Tommy's tunic, her brown eyes blank. "Did it work?"

"Yes, Beautiful," Tommy whispered, desperately trying to restrain the tears filling his eyes. "Shana's got the powers, love, and she's okay."

"It was almost too late, Tommy. I almost died before she came back." Tommy could feel Kimberly begin to relax, begin to let go, and tears dripped from his eyes onto her cheek. She freed one small hand and hesitantly reached up to brush the moisture away with shaking fingers. "Don't cry, Tommy. I can't stand to see you cry."

"I can't help it, Kim. I don't want to lose you."

A beam of blue light appeared in the center of the room, fading to reveal the first Blue Ranger. Billy stepped forward and took Kimberly's hand, smiling when she recognized his touch. "B-Billy? You came?"

"I know I've been gone a long time, Kim, but I wanted to be here when you needed me this time."

Kimberly sent the last of her strength into the tall man, smiling when he didn't pull away. "You knew, didn't you? Those rumors about the prophecies found by a Human were talking about you."

"I knew the three of you would come," he whispered. "I also knew that you wouldn't want anything to change your future. You gave me the last of your strength to extend my life because I'm still alive and young in your time. I can also tell you that just being here has changed the future, hopefully for the better."

"Billy . . ."

"It's okay," he whispered. "We're all here, just like you wanted. The last of your tasks has been fulfilled. You have saved so many people and touched so many lives, and I want you to know how proud we are. You have earned your rest." He stepped back, leaving Kimberly and Tommy to their last good-byes.

Kimberly coughed as Tommy lifted her, holding the petite brunette close to his chest. She started shaking, tiny spasms wracking her body, tears filling her eyes. _"I'm not ready,"_ she whispered, audible to everyone. "Hold me."

Tommy leaned down and rested his forehead on Kimberly's. "I love you," he whispered. "I don't know how I'm going to live without you."

"Don't worry," she managed. "Everything will be okay. I love you, Tommy." The white-robed Mage leaned down and kissed his wife one last time, pulling away when he sensed her go limp. He fell to his knees, sobbing, and Jason held Shana closer, letting his power calm the baby as she began to wail, knowing that her mother was gone. Young Tommy pulled Kimberly out of the apartment, unable to watch anymore, hearing the other Rangers and Alina follow him. Azaemer went onto the balcony where Kapiire and Dervalet were restrained, tears even in his old eyes.

Tommy headed for the park, unable to release Kimberly, as he sensed the other Rangers follow them. He came to a stop at the old pond as the others walked elsewhere, all hoping to deal with the Mage's death in their own way. Tommy sat down, pulling Kimberly into his lap, holding her as she finally broke down and began to cry.

* * *

TBC


	13. An Old Memory

**Live Like You Were Dying**

**Title:** Live Like You Were Dying  
**Author:** kazeko  
**Show: **Power Rangers  
**Rating:** PG 13  
**Chapters: **?  
**Series:** no, also no relation to "Children of the Gods"  
**Multipart:** yes  
**Time:** About a year after Power Rangers in Space, changing the Power Rangers timeline after that  
**Couple(s):** Tommy/Kimberly, Jason/Kat, Tanya/Adam  
**Disclaimer:** Saban and Disney own Power Rangers and they don't deserve it if they won't release MMPR on DVD!  
**Disclaimer 2:** I own everything else, including characters, other planets, and the plot.

* * *

Chapter 13: An Old Memory

* * *

"It's okay," Tommy whispered, rocking back and forth slowly, running his fingers through Kimberly's hair in an attempt to sooth her. "I'm here for you."

"It's all coming back, Tommy," she whispered. "My time as a Ranger, all those battles and near-death experiences, my relationship with you, the letter, Zordon's death . . . all of it, Tommy. I didn't want to remember."

"I know you didn't. I know that you were in a lot of pain and that you dealt with it the only way you could. I should have been there for you, Beautiful."

"How can you say that?" Kimberly reached to her cheek and wiped away the tears, surprised when Tommy reached a hand up to help. "I was the one that messed up, that put gymnastics above everyone and everything that ever mattered to me, every person I ever loved, especially you. God, Tommy, I sent you that damn letter and I know it hurt you and you're just sitting there and holding me like you used to."

Tommy kissed Kimberly's forehead, smiling. "Your older self explained all of that, and especially after what we just saw, I know that I can't let one stupid letter and your utter loneliness—that we Rangers did nothing to help—keep you and me apart. I love you so damn much, Kimberly, that I can't explain it. And I know that you never heard the full story, but I don't want us to take as long as those two Mages did to get back together. I don't care how much time we have together or what we go through; I just want to be with you forever."

Kimberly slipped out of Tommy's embrace and turned to face the pond, crossing her arms over her chest as she stared out across the water. "I learned what it was like to be Powerless, to be an ex-Ranger. The first bit wasn't as bad as that bought of depression I went through. I wrote that letter to you because the only way I knew to make the pain go away was to make you guys go away. I think a part of me wondered if you would put the team above us, and part of me wanted you to be selfish for a change."

"I should have put you first," he whispered, standing up and placing his hands on her shoulders. "I made the mistake of being too egotistical, Kimberly. I thought that Zordon chose me years ago to be the leader when I became the White Ranger because I was the only one who could do the job. I was so wrong. You would have been better." She opened her mouth to protest, turning around in his arms, his finger on her lips stopping her. "Let me finish. Zordon chose me to be leader because of the man you made me into. I was nothing, no one, before I met you. If it wasn't for you and your love, when I lost the Green Ranger Powers, that would have been it. You found the leader in me, and when you left, I lost it. I was never the same leader again, especially after the letter. I was kind of relieved when I could retire. I wish I had been able to tell Zordon that my love for you was stronger than my love of my position as the leader, but I convinced myself that I was saving the world. That never mattered before. I think I lost a lot when you left, and I know the team did. Come back to us, Kimberly. We miss you."

"You were a fine team without me, Tommy, and you're all still friends. I'll probably head back to Miami in a few days. It'll all be back to normal before long." Tommy recognized her words as echoes of the ones he had used to her after losing the Green Powers, standing in the exact same spot. Smiling, seeing a spark of humor returning to her brown eyes, he continued.

"I miss you."

A smile spread across Kimberly's face as she leaned closer. "So you do remember." Before he could think of a reply, she kissed him, all of the love and longing she had been holding back for years flowing into him, the bloodstone on his neck pulsing in time with their synchronized heartbeats. He pulled her closer as he had not done the first time, wondering why he never noticed how perfectly she fit in his arms. She grinned as she pulled away, not leaving the safety of his embrace. "I've been wanting to do that for a long time," she whispered, holding onto the memory for just a few lines more.

"Me, too," Tommy grinned, running his fingers through her hair. Turning serious, he cupped Kimberly's cheek in his hand. "Kimberly, I know it's been a very long time, but I never stopped loving you. I wish things could have been different."

"It doesn't matter," she whispered, laying her head against his chest. "Tommy, I would never have broken up with you if it wasn't for the depression. You know that, right? I remember that when I practiced in the beginning all I imagined was winning the gold and you running out of the stands and swinging me through the air like you did the day we first kissed. It was my favorite fantasy, and it helped me make it through a lot of the early practices."

"I would have. That's exactly what I would have done, no matter what anyone else thought. I watched you in the Pan-Globals and the Olympics and I cheered for you. When you won, I was so incredibly happy. I felt the same way I did when you said that I could take you to the dance."

"I want us to go back to the way we were, Tommy, before I left."

"Do you really mean that?"

"Yeah."

"Well, now that that's over with, I guess my next question's a piece of cake."

"What's that?" Her voice was no longer the innocent playfulness of youth; she was older and wiser, her maturity reflected in her words. She looked up as Tommy stepped back, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a tiny pink box.

"Kimberly, will you marry me?"

He opened the box to reveal a tiny golden band with a pale pink diamond sparkling from the top, a smaller white diamond on either side. Kimberly stared at it, eyes wide, one finger reaching out to touch it. "How long have you had this?"

"A little after that Christmas. I was going to ask you when you won at the Games, but things didn't quite work out."

"It's pink," she pointed out, glancing up. Her light brown eyes met Tommy's darker ones, hope and fear in both.

Tommy reached out to caress her cheek with his free hand. "No matter how many teams there are, no matter what happens in the future, you will always be my Pink Ranger." She turned around, wiping tears out of her eyes, and he leaned forward, concerned. "Well? Kimberly?"

She spun back to face him, the smile he loved so much, the one that could cheer him up no matter how depressed he was, shining from her face. "I didn't want to make it too easy for you," she managed through her tears. "Of course I'll marry you."

Tommy carefully slipped the ring on her finger, hands shaking noticeably, and the only thought running through his head was, _"God I hope it fits."_ He breathed a sigh of relief when the ring was finally on, and he looked up into Kimberly's loving eyes. A sudden wave of joy filled him, and he reached out, catching Kimberly under the arms, lifting her off the ground and spinning her around, crying, "yes!!" as she laughed.

From a few yards away, Alina wiped tears from her eyes. "That was so beautiful," she whispered.

"It took them long enough!" Aisha smiled as the other Rangers seconded her comment. Jason reached out and wrapped an arm around Kat's waist as the Aussie leaned against his side.

_"They really are meant to be together. Did you know about that ring, Jase?" _

_"Yeah. He called me the day he went to get it and asked if she would like it better in white or pink. It looks like pink was the right answer." _Jason smiled at the pair. "At least they're both smiling again," he pointed out for the benefit of the entire group.

"We'll find a way to keep them together if it kills us," Trini growled, quite a bit more aggressively than the first Yellow Ranger normally spoke.

Billy laughed at her comment, shrugging when all eyes turned to him. "Um, hi, guys."

"So, how's Aquitar?" Tommy and Kimberly joined the group, their approach unnoticed even in the silence, and the White Ranger clapped Billy on the back. "How've you been, man?"

"About as good as you, it looks like." Billy embraced Kimberly, smiling. "I'm so happy for you two. It certainly took long enough." As the other Rangers congratulated the petite brunette, Tommy pulled Billy to one side and wordlessly handed him Kat's PDA. He turned it on and smiled as Dictami appeared. "I was wondering if I left those files in an obvious enough place. I stumbled across the Zameri'net one day while helping Alpha organize Zordon's old files into an archived subdirectory, and the file name caught my attention. He eventually told me all about it and I created Dictami to help me translate the useful parts of the Shamirin files and Dastirri to help me encode them. I trust they proved useful?"

"Exceptionally. Thank you." Tommy glanced back toward town and sighed. "I guess we have to go back. They'll want to return to their time soon so Shana can be protected as the Princess." He shook his head, glancing at Kimberly. "I don't want her to die like that, Billy."

"Don't worry; I think you have already changed the future."

* * *

The Rangers watched in silence as Jason created a time portal, Tanya handing him the bloodstones as he stepped to one side, Shana sleeping in his arms. Tommy, Kimberly's rose-wrapped body in his arms, stepped through, unable to speak, tears still filling his eyes. Azaemer handed young Jason a glowing pale blue orb, shrugging. "After all the damage I did with my powers here and all the stuff that might have happened, I don't need these anymore. Most of my powers are tuned toward the diplomatic spectrum, but there are some simple Enchanter powers, too. Use them well, young Rangers. I have no more need of them." Taking Dervalet with one hand and Kapiire with the other, the former Diplomat entered the portal.

Jason turned to the Rangers, smiling first at Billy. "Thank you for coming, Billy. It meant so much to her. As for the rest of you, thanks for your help. I don't think Tommy will last the year alone—soul mates rarely survive their partner's death—but with Shana we have a hope of curing this senseless plague and we have a future. Thank you for that. Try to remember what happened here these past few days and don't make our mistakes." He glanced at Jason and Kat as he spoke the last, smiling as he stepped into the portal. It closed, leaving the Rangers and Alina alone once more.

Billy embraced his friends once more as he vanished, returning to his planet, and Alina picked up her bag. "Baliree will be here within the week; until then I will watch from afar. I fear no other threats now that they are gone. You probably won't see me again until my lover arrives." Smiling, she vanished.

Tanya reached over to her table and emptied a small wooden box, placing the glowing orb inside. "I don't know what use we will have for this, but I will keep it safe. Now, I think we really need to figure out room accommodations."

* * *

TBC


	14. Pink Silk and Silver Roses

**Live Like You Were Dying**

**Title:** Live Like You Were Dying  
**Author:** kazeko  
**Show: **Power Rangers  
**Rating:** PG 13  
**Chapters: **?  
**Series:** no, also no relation to "Children of the Gods"  
**Multipart:** yes  
**Time:** About a year after Power Rangers in Space, changing the Power Rangers timeline after that  
**Couple(s):** Tommy/Kimberly, Jason/Kat, Tanya/Adam  
**Disclaimer:** Saban and Disney own Power Rangers and they don't deserve it if they won't release MMPR on DVD!  
**Disclaimer 2:** I own everything else, including characters, other planets, and the plot.  
**AN:** Thanks for all of my reviewers! We have made it into the second part of the story, and I promise that there will be some fun and less tragic chapters in this part. Enjoy, and Jason's line about the Juice Bar is from the PRWF episode "Forever Red" and I about died laughing when he said it, so I included it here. Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 14: Pink Silk and Silver Roses

* * *

"Hey, lover. Why are you here?" 

Baliree rolled her eyes as she pulled Alina to her feet. "You know why I'm here, Alina. How is our princess?"

Alina shook her head as she sensed her lover try to access her thoughts. "No peeking, Bali. I told you that there are some things that I cannot show you. Something very strange happened here in the past week, and if I let you see, I might change the future."

Bali nodded and leaned over to kiss Alina's cheek. "Very well. Just take me to her and we'll see what we can do about procuring a princess."

* * *

Kimberly leaned into Tommy's gentle embraced as they danced across the floor to the gentle strains of a slow song. Tanya and Adam had joined them while Jason and Kat were sitting at the counter talking over a pair of Ernie's famous smoothies. The owner of the Youth Center had jumped at the chance to throw a party when he learned of Kimberly and Tommy's engagement, whipping a respectable gala together in less than forty-eight hours. All of the pair's old friends and most of Angel Grove had turned out for the event, most of Tommy's Native American family also attending. David and Sam were quietly conversing in one corner with Trini and Zack while Rocky was desperately trying to get Aisha to dance with him. She kept shaking her head, but a small smile played across the corner of her lips. She would agree eventually. 

"Tommy?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you think we can change that future? I don't . . . I don't want to die like that."

Tommy stopped moving and turned Kimberly's face up toward him. "Don't think like that, Beautiful," he whispered. "Let's go sit down for a second, okay?" Kimberly nodded and followed him off the dance floor, letting him pull her into his lap. He smiled as he ran his fingers over the silky material of her pale rose dress, tracing the silvery flower patterns on the skirt. "I see that our visitors had an impact on you."

"I think the pale rose and silver go together. I think I threw away most of my pink clothes when I sent you the letter, so this is the first real pink dress I've worn since you last saw me." Her brown eyes sparkled as the light shone from the diamonds on her ring as she ran her hands over her dress. "How long did it take you to pay for this?"

"A while. I wasn't sure when I'd have the money, so I borrowed from my parents and spent a long time paying them back. I finished after I won some money racing."

She looked up sharply. "So you were still paying for it after I sent you the letter? Why didn't you take it back?"

Tommy smiled and took her small hand in his. "Because that letter showed me that I had let a new Pink Ranger take your place."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that you gave Kat your Power Coin and your place on the team but I didn't give her your place in my heart. For the longest time, when she was in danger, my first thought was 'protect Kimberly' and for a long time I saw the Pink Ranger as you. But then, not long before the letter, I saw Kat in danger in one of our battles, and I never thought about you. I didn't even realize it until later. When I got your letter, I turned to her because I couldn't deal with the thought that maybe I had been unfaithful by letting Kat become the Pink Ranger, letting her become you. So I kept the ring to make me feel guilty because I knew that I had done something to chase you away. When the three Mages came, I realized that I had a second chance and I didn't want to mess up again."

"You didn't," Kimberly whispered, tears in her eyes. "Is that why . . . Jase said that you dated Kat for a while. Is that why?"

"Yeah. And it doesn't even make that much sense since she's not that much like you except for the Pink Ranger stuff, but I think part of me wanted to see why I let her take your place. Eventually I realized that she hadn't taken your place in my heart, just on the team. That's about when we broke it off. I hope she's happy with Jason." He ran his fingers through Kimberly's hair, smiling as she gave a half-purr. "What else?"

"Do you know why my future self died? Do you know what killed her?"

"Yes, we all do, but I think it would be better if you did not." He put his finger over her lips to still her protests. "Let me finish, Kimberly. If you knew exactly what was going to happen, you would spend the rest of your life avoiding that event, and that's no way to live. You can't live like you're dying for the next six or so decades. I promise that I will do everything in my power to protect you, since I know a little more about what happened than the others do, but even I don't know everything. I won't keep you from living."

"What if everything happens the same way?"

"It can't. I know for a fact that the Mage Tommy didn't propose to Kimberly before they left Earth because he didn't see her again until they got to Shamirin Prime. You and I have skipped that phase. Cheer up, okay? This party is for us." Kimberly smiled as Tommy kissed her and pulled the petite brunette back to her feet. "Let's go back to that dance, okay?"

Kimberly let Tommy lead her back onto the floor, never noticing the two women silent in the shadows. Baliree glanced at Alina. _"Are you sure she's the same woman? The one I researched was suffering a bought of depression." _

_"Some things have happened over the last few days that have changed all of that. You'll see when you speak to her." _

* * *

Tommy smiled as he passed the tray of snacks around, refilling Kimberly's drink as he joined her on the couch. "What about when Zedd turned us into children and Bulk and Skull saved us by stealing that photograph?" 

Kimberly smiled as she rested her head on Tommy's shoulder, smoothing her skirt out as she placed her drink on the low table beside the couch. "My favorite memories are when you were the White Ranger and would come to our rescue."

Jason snorted. "Yeah, whatever!" He turned to Kat and the other later Rangers, pointing at Tommy and Kimberly. "I was the one doing all the work while _he_ was in the Juice Bar kissin' up on Kimberly!"

"Hey!" Tommy bounced a crumpled paper cup off his friend's head as Kimberly burst out laughing and caught her fianc's arm.

"That's enough, boys," she purred, watching as Kat refrained Jason from retaliating. The other Rangers clammed up as the brunette looked around, making sure no one else had any smart comments. She kissed Tommy's cheek as she captured both of his hands in hers. "Though you have to admit, Tommy; that was pretty funny."

"Oh, really?" Tommy spun Kimberly around in his arms and leaned closer until their noses were almost touching. "You think that was funny?" She squeaked, startled, as Tommy's lips captured hers, eliciting cries of 'get a room!' and a flurry of well-aimed projectile cups that Tommy deftly deflected, protecting his Pink Princess.

Kimberly smiled as Tommy pulled back and brushed the cups away, gathering them and dumping them in the nearest trashcan. "Oh, it's getting really late." Kimberly glanced at her watch, catching sight of her ring and smiling as she stared at it. Jason groaned as he pulled Kat to her feet and walked her out the door, heading for Tanya's apartment down the hall. Tommy had been able to borrow Adam's apartment while he moved in above the dojo and Zack had accepted Rocky and Jason's offer of the other couch in the former Red Rangers' apartment. Everyone knew why Tommy wanted his own place, though no one was rude enough to say it. Kimberly smiled sleepily as the other four women Rangers left, promising that she'd follow in just a bit. Tanya rolled her eyes and closed the door, leaving Tommy and Kimberly alone.

"Happy that you came back, Beautiful?"

"Yeah," Kimberly whispered, stretching. "That was quite the party, though."

"Hey, I have a surprise for you." Tommy reached out and pulled the petite woman to her feet, leading her into the bedroom. Turning on the light, he rummaged through the drawers until he found a small box wrapped in a very familiar shirt. Grinning, he held the items out to the former Pink Ranger.

"Tommy," she whispered, pulling the green checked flannel shirt off the box and hugging it close. "I forgot . . . I forgot you and all of our times together, but I kept this shirt . . . I wonder why I chose this one."

"Because when I was the Green Ranger I needed you and when I was the White Ranger I would have given the world for you," Tommy whispered, having already determined the answer. "You wanted to be reminded of those good times and not the loneliness that followed."

Kimberly sat on the bed and dropped the shirt in her lap, opening the small box. "My medals," she whispered. "Were they really worth it, Tommy? Were they really worth losing you?"

"You never lost me, Beautiful, but we lost sight of each other for a while. We're back now, and I am very proud of you for winning those medals. They were your dream."

"No, they weren't. Not really. My real dream was a life with you, a family of our own, and I don't know why I let this come between us."

Tommy joined Kimberly on the bed, reaching over and moving the medals aside, pulling out a picture of them from their first dance, followed by dozens more from the silly to the serious, some with the group and some of them alone, even a few of the Power Rangers from newspapers and magazines. "You didn't, really. If you had let me go, if you really moved on, you wouldn't still have all of these pictures. And they're pretty good ones, too." He handed her the communicator she had left on the bedside table, letting her place it back in the small box. She smiled as she pulled out the last item, the stuffed bear he gave her when she was in the hospital after her fall from the balance beam just before leaving for Florida.

"I love this bear," she whispered. "I can't believe how fast you came to make sure I was okay. If it hadn't been for your love and encouragement, I never would have gone back out there and gone off to Florida."

"I like this bear, too," Tommy grinned. "It was the only time I told you that you couldn't go into battle and you listened to me."

"Oh, you!"

"Sometimes I wonder why Zordon made me the leader," Tommy continued, smiling as Kimberly shook her head. "He could have just picked you and cut out the middle man."

"Tommy! What a horrid thing to say! Though a little sweet, depending on how you look at it. I didn't tell you what to do."

"Out loud," Tommy added. "But I certainly wouldn't have made any decision without your approval. Rocky told me once that the difference between me leading as the White Ranger and as the Red Ranger was that I had more freedom and no one to look after." He pulled Kimberly into his arms, catching her tiny fists. "But I like my Green Ranger days the best. That was when I needed you and you were always there. It was nice not having to be the strong one around you. You never judged me or tried to change me; you let me live and grow as I wanted."

"I liked you just the way you were." Kimberly leaned her head against Tommy's chest, placing the box and shirt back on the table, holding the tiny bear. "When did you guys get this anyway?"

"We saw it when we were chasing you down, but Kat, Aisha, and I went back for your stuff using our teleporters a day or so ago. They have some of your clothes in Tanya's apartment now so you can stop wearing Aisha's and Trini's. You don't fit in their clothes very well at all, and yellow is not your color."

Kimberly rolled her eyes. "Oh, just say it; I look horrid in yellow, Tommy. It makes me look positively sick. I can't thank you enough for giving me the money to buy this dress. I couldn't have worn one of Aisha's to the party. I already thanked Kat for helping me pick it out. Trini, Tanya, and Aisha have no taste when it comes to pink clothes."

"Hey, I wanted you to look good if you were going to dance with me." Kimberly poked him weakly, too tired even to glare at that comment, and Tommy sighed. "You look so beautiful in that. It was a good choice. Remind me to thank Kat later."

"I will," Kimberly yawned, curling deeper into Tommy's arms. "I'm so tired," she purred. "I missed you, Tommy."

"I'll never go away again, Beautiful." He sensed the instant Kimberly fell asleep, his body so in tune with hers that he never had to look to know that the pink-clad woman was sound asleep. Smiling, he gently laid her down in the bed, deftly removing her dress and digging out one of his shirts, slipping it over her head as he removed her slip and bra. His white shirt was like a nightgown on her, and he covered her with the blanket and the green checked flannel shirt, leaning over and kissing her forehead before hanging up her dress where she could find it. Touching the tiny white bear, Tommy retreated to the door and pulled it closed. "Good night, Beautiful," he whispered.

* * *

"They won't do anything until they're married, though. She probably just fell asleep." 

Aisha grinned as she finished putting Kimberly's very pink wardrobe away. "Trini, did she have this much pink before becoming the Pink Ranger?"

"Oh, yeah. Billy used to joke that Zordon chose our Ranger colors based on what we were wearing the day he pulled us into the Command Center that first time. She's always looked good in pink. What did you think of that dress, Tanya?"

"You guys did such a great job! It looked just perfect. And Tommy really paid for the dress, shoes, and that necklace?"

"Yeah, he did. The dress was not cheap, but he told us not to spare any expense to make her beautiful." Kat smiled at the joy on Tommy's face when he saw Kimberly walk into the Juice Bar, knowing at that moment that searching and combing through the stores in the mall had been worth it to find that perfect dress. "I think he was happier when he saw that dress than even Kimberly was."

"What do you think she'll wear for her wedding?"

"I don't know, Tanya, but she had better let us help design it." They all sobered at Kat's words, wondering if they would be able to attend Kimberly and Tommy's wedding. Trini snorted and shook her head.

"Why are we sitting here feeling sorry for ourselves? If we want to be there for our friends, we will find away. If the Peace Conference, Pan-Globals, Zordon's death, and six years of fighting evil like Rita and Lord Zedd couldn't separate us, Kimberly being chosen as the princess for an alien civilization won't do it."

"What can we do?"

"We'll think of something, Kat."

* * *

TBC 


	15. Princess of the Stars

**Live Like You Were Dying**

**Title:** Live Like You Were Dying  
**Author:** kazeko  
**Show: **Power Rangers  
**Rating:** PG 13  
**Chapters: **?  
**Series:** no, also no relation to "Children of the Gods"  
**Multipart:** yes  
**Time:** About a year after Power Rangers in Space, changing the Power Rangers timeline after that  
**Couple(s):** Tommy/Kimberly, Jason/Kat, Tanya/Adam  
**Disclaimer:** Saban and Disney own Power Rangers and they don't deserve it if they won't release MMPR on DVD!  
**Disclaimer 2:** I own everything else, including characters, other planets, and the plot.

**Author's Note:** Well, here's the next chapter! Sorry it took so long . . . read, enjoy, review!

* * *

Chapter 15: Princess of the Stars

* * *

Kimberly awoke slowly, smiling as warm sunlight covered her. She paused, wondering where she was. Sunlight never woke her in her Miami apartment. Startled, she sat up, finding Tommy's green flannel shirt and her little white bear sharing the bed with her. She was wearing one of Tommy's white shirts, easily long enough to be a dress on her, the pink silk dress and her slip hanging from the closet door. She knew without question that Tommy had found a way to change her into something comfortable without ever seeing her naked, and she was both grateful and a little jealous. She didn't get to see him. Shaking her head, she slipped out of bed, decided she was decent enough to talk to her fiancé, and wandered into the living room, the bear he had given her still safe in her arms. She smiled as she found him asleep on the couch, sprawled across part of the back and down to the floor, a single blanket warding off the night chills. He hadn't bothered to get that undressed, remaining in a shirt and shorts, loose hair covering the pillow. She smiled as she knelt down beside him, running her fingers through his straight hair, eyes meeting his as he slowly woke up.

"Morning, Beautiful," he managed. "Have a good night?"

"I can't believe I just fell asleep on you," she admitted, watching as Tommy sat up and stretched before pulling Kim onto the couch beside him. She easily melted into his arms again, pulling at the shirt she was wearing. "Thanks for changing me out of that dress. I might have ruined it, and that was not a cheap get-up."

"I thought you might be more comfortable."

"Why didn't you just take me back to Tanya's apartment? I don't weight that much, do I, Tommy?"

He laughed. "No, of course not. But I kind of liked the thought of you sleeping in my bed, no matter how temporary the ownership is."

Kimberly blushed. "Thank you."

"Are you hungry? I can't cook, but I'm sure I can find something."

"Sure, Tommy. Thank you." Kimberly watched as Tommy left, amazed that she had been able to forget him at all. He was the best boyfriend—fiancé—in the entire world. She hugged her bear closer and leaned back, pulling the blanket around her thin frame as she listened to the clattering sound of her partner trying desperately to find something edible in the second Black Ranger's kitchen.

A knock on the door jolted her out of her memories, and the petite brunette wrapped the blanket around herself and shuffled to the door, opening it. "Yes?"

A tall woman with emerald eyes and red hair stood their, one eyebrow raised. "So. I didn't expect this."

Kimberly smiled in understanding and gestured for the woman to follow her into the small apartment. "Tommy, Baliree's here."

"I still don't have anything to eat," Tommy complained as he reentered the living room, neither noticing the shock on the duchess's face. "I imagine you've come for your princess, then? As per Section Four of the Zameri'net?"

"How do you know about that?"

Tommy shrugged as he handed Kimberly a robe and folded the blanket she had been using. "I found some of Zordon's old files, translated by our first Blue Ranger. Kim, I'm sure you don't want to wear my shirt for the rest of the day, so let's head to Tanya's and dig you up some clothes."

"Sounds like a plan." She glanced over her shoulder at the Shamiri. "Coming?"

* * *

Jason glanced up from his conversation with Kat as Kimberly slipped into Tanya's room, blushing at the cheers from her friends. Rocky, Jason, Adam, and Zack were banished into the living room as the girls pulled Kimberly into the bedroom and deluged her with questions about her night.

"Why are you all here, anyway?"

Kat laughed. "Do you have any idea how late it is? It's after ten!"

Kimberly glanced at the clock as she slid her shirt over her head. "Wow, it really is late. Should I wear a skirt or shorts?"

"Go for the skirt," Kat suggested, handing her a light pink skirt with a lavender design on the hem. Kim took it, smiling as she slipped it on.

"Thanks for getting my stuff, guys."

"No problem. Hey, what were you and Tommy doing all night that kept you from noticing the time?"

Kimberly blushed a darker shade of pink than her skirt at Aisha's question. "Nothing," she managed. "He . . . he gave me that box and the flannel shirt. Do you remember that bear Tommy gave me when I was in the hospital? It was in that box, along with a lot of pictures of us. I must have put them and my medals there when I wrote Tommy that letter to break away from my old life. I'm really going to miss you guys."

Kat smiled as she turned to lead the group out. "What do you mean? You and Tommy don't have to leave yet."

"Baliree's here," she whispered. "It's time for us to go."

"Kimberly, I don't want you to go."

"Kat?" Kimberly turned back to the woman who was fast becoming one of her close friends, shocked to find tears in the Aussie's blue eyes. Trini, Aisha, and even Tanya were nodding. "But we have to go. The Adamarei Alliance needs us."

"I wish it didn't," Aisha whispered. "We only just got back together, Kim. It just seems like the world is always conspiring to keep us apart. We saved the world. A lot. We need—we deserve—a reward, a break, retirement for goodness sake!"

"I'll think of something," Kimberly whispered, returning to the living room. Tommy had finally arrived, his clothing less wrinkled than what he had worn to bed, Baliree standing beside the couch as he introduced the other Rangers. Tommy pulled Kimberly into his arms as she emerged, watching as the other Rangers paired up and turned to face the young duchess. "So I guess you're here to ask me to come be your princess because your Queen Anarii was sterilized by this magical plague the Dragons got first and needs an heir to pass her powers onto."

"How did you know?"

"A friend told us. The thing is, I'm not sure I want to go."

"What?"

"Tommy, I love you with all of my heart, but Kat, Trini, Zack, Jason, Aisha, Adam, Tanya, and Rocky are my family. We're a family here, us ex-Rangers, and I don't want to leave them behind."

Jason stepped forward, taking Kat's hand. "Duchess Baliree, how much power does Queen Anarii have?"

"Enough for the princess and her prince."

"Do you have any power you can transfer?"

"A little. My sister and I together are powerful enough to make another powerful Mage from a powerless Human."

"What about two weak ones?" Jason pulled Kat forward. "You see, I'd love to go with my bro and sis, but I won't leave the girl of my dreams behind."

"I guess we could do two . . ."

Tanya picked up a small wooden box from the table and glanced around, catching the glance of each of the other five Rangers. In turn, they all nodded, knowing her thoughts. There was no question, no doubt, no hesitation. Kimberly needed them and they never let her down. "What use would you have for a bunch of diplomats?" She opened the box to reveal the glowing orb that held Azaemer ni'Lamyiaan's power, smiling. "I'm sure a princess needs her advisors, right, Kim?"

Kimberly swallowed, nodding as she tried desperately not to cry tears of joy. "Yeah, I do. Do you have any idea how to get his power out?"

Tanya pulled the orb out of the box and the other Rangers gathered around, Rocky, Trini, Zack, Adam, and Aisha reaching out to lay a hand on the sphere. They closed their eyes, concentrating, and blue light exploded from the glass orb, reaching out to engulf the six ex-Rangers. Baliree took a half-step forward to stop the humans, but it was too late. The pale blue color changed as it touched each ex-Ranger, infusing them each with a different aspect of Azaemer's enhanced powers as the orb vanished.

Tanya was dressed in darkened gold, shimmering silk covering her form, a clear crystal hanging from a gold chain around her neck. It changed to pale brown and then rose as she raised a hand to her head, wincing slightly. From her ears hung delicate golden earrings each ending in a tiny clear crystal point, a simple ear cuff on her right ear. "I can hear . . . feel . . . so much. Joy. So much happiness and joy . . . what power did I get?"

"Empath," Baliree whispered, glancing at the stone. "That's a nafiir stone, a semi-sentient being linked to an Empath to display the prevalent moods around her. As your link with the nafiir develops, you will be able to use her power to control what you sense and to keep her from showing what you and the people around you are feeling." She seemed slightly amused and surprised that whatever Mage the orb had come from had possessed empathic powers and the ability to bind to a nafiir.

Rocky examined his new suit, a dark burgundy color cut in a style reminiscent of the Ninja Ranger suits, minus the mask and hood. He did wear a headband with a filigreed gold symbol in the center, a katana-like sword swung across his back, a knife on each hip and one on each leather armband. He reached down and checked his boots, finding smaller, thinner, curved knives. He also wore a small pouch on his belt that held tiny stones, a long, thin crystal hanging from a gold chain around his neck. "I feel this low-level buzzing sound through my whole body, like an extra sense," he murmured. "I can see better, hear better . . . everything is enhanced. And I think I can see heat."

"The infrared spectrum," Baliree clarified. "If you concentrate hard enough—and it will become easier in time—you can also see into the ultraviolet. You are a warrior; your enhanced senses and reflexes and ability to see into other spectrums have become your best weapons. The crystal on your neck enhances your telepathic sending and receiving powers since you have little to let you speak to your princess. What Mage could possibly have Empathic and Warrior Powers?"

"What about me?" Trini was dressed in a pale golden yellow dress, strange symbols boldly embroidered along the skirt, a long white staff in one hand topped by a round multicolored stone that closely resembled an opal. Her long hair was held into an intricate pile of ringlets and curls by dozens of bejeweled combs, each one a different style and color. On her left wrist was a pale yellow leather band covered in tiny gems that shimmered in the light. Like Tanya, Trini wore two earrings, but the one on the right ear had a delicate golden chain linking the ear cuff and the diamond stud, a golden metal flower hanging halfway down her neck. On the left ear she had a long, hinged cuff all the way down the side of her ear, a small animal engraved into the bottom that resembled a small leaping gazelle.

"Diplomat," Baliree answered. "The armband on your wrist can translate any language directly into your brain and allow you to speak any language fluently as soon as the band recognizes it. The earrings you wear identify you as the highest level diplomat; the animal is an adrinakt, like an Earth gazelle, the symbol of peace and cooperation. In a group of Royal Advisors, there is always need for a diplomat."

Zack stepped forward next, his suit a combination of the warrior functionality of Rocky's ninja-like outfit, but toned down to reflect a more somber attitude. He wore a slightly smaller nafiir stone than Tanya and a heavy belt covered in crystals and small devices. He wore a leather band, but it seemed to be covered in small areas that shimmered in the light. He carried no weapon save a small knife on his armband, his outfit lacking the headband Rocky wore. "I think I'm partly an Empath, too," Zack murmured, touching the nafiir stone. "It's . . . younger, smaller, male . . . but there is something else. It's not warrior, Duchess Baliree."

"Teacher, Zack Taylor. Empathic Teachers are fairly rare, but most of the other power concentrations eventually evolve to teacher. It looks like Adam's power tend toward the Teacher spectrum as well, with a little Prophet thrown in for good measure. By the movements of the stars, what Mage gave you this power?"

Adam shrugged as he examined his more formal black robes covered in tiny colored dots meant to represent constellations in the night sky, a white opal in the center of the band on his forehead. A colored line ran down the center, giving the impression of a single eye, the crack expanding and contracting almost imperceptibly. He still wore the simple golden loop in one ear. "Prophet, huh? Cool. Does that mean I can see the future?"

"Prophets do not see the future, merely the most likely outcome of a specific set of circumstances. Only true Seers can walk the paths that the future may take. But a Prophet is of great use to a future queen." Baliree smiled as Aisha examined her outfit, less loose than the others', small instruments attached to her belt, a tiny black opal on her white headband. She wore simple boots and two armbands, her earrings only tiny studs. Her hands were covered in tiny lines that connected to her armbands at her wrists, the sensors moving with her skin. "And you, Aisha, have become a Medic-Midwife. I had no idea that any Mage could hold so many concentrations."

"And they can really go with us?" Kimberly bit her lip, her eagerness vibrating her slim frame. Tommy laughed and pulled his fiancée into his arms.

"Of course they can go with us! Duchess Baliree, when did you plan on leaving?"

"As soon as possible," the young Shamiri admitted. "We need to make all of you disappear. It is excessively difficult to make ten people suddenly vanish without one of three things—one, a war; two, a massively infectious, fast-acting plague; and three, a natural disaster. Since you are not an incredibly violent people and not in this country and have conquered most deadly, fast-acting plagues, natural disaster seems to be the best choice. I can easily agitate the tectonic plates in this area and create an earthquake. Or you can all go up in an airplane and have it conveniently malfunction and crash in the mountains somewhere."

Jason grinned as he waved for Baliree to stop. "Actually, Duchess, I have a much better idea, if you guys will agree."

"What is it, Bro?"

* * *

TBC


	16. The President

**Live Like You Were Dying**

**Title:** Live Like You Were Dying  
**Author:** kazeko  
**Show: **Power Rangers  
**Rating:** PG 13  
**Chapters: **?  
**Series:** no, also no relation to "Children of the Gods"  
**Multipart:** yes  
**Time:** About a year after Power Rangers in Space, changing the Power Rangers timeline after that  
**Couple(s):** Tommy/Kimberly, Jason/Kat, Tanya/Adam  
**Disclaimer:** Saban and Disney own Power Rangers and they don't deserve it if they won't release MMPR on DVD!  
**Disclaimer 2:** I own everything else, including characters, other planets, and the plot.

* * *

Chapter 16: The President

* * *

It was a very quiet day in Washington, D.C. There were no scheduled tours, just a few random people strolling around the monuments. The White House was frighteningly quiet, the president's husband so bored he was making paper airplanes and watching them soar across the room. 

"Stop that, Jess," Arissa groaned. "How could all of my meetings today be cancelled? I'm the president and no one wants to talk to me!"

Jesse Falcon tossed his latest airplane at his wife, smiling when she glared at him. "Riss, we're supposed to appreciate the day off."

"Normally I would, but most days off are planned. It's almost like there's a conspiracy out there . . . if those Power Rangers from Angle Grove hadn't defeated the last of the evil threatening Earth, I would suspect one of those guys."

"You're half right."

Arissa and Jesse were on their feet in a second, pulling back to the doors and wondering where the hell their security was. A single woman dressed in long lavender robes and wearing more jewels than most people owned, stepped into the light, apparently stepping out of thin air into the oval office. She carried a white staff topped by a clear crystal and covered in gold wire, feathers, and gems. "Greetings, President Arissa Falcon. I am here on behalf of the first Power Rangers." The president froze, instants before calling for the Secret Service. "They need a press conference before they leave the Earth."

"Leave? Wait, you know who the Power Rangers are?"

"Of course. Two days from now a group of their friends from Angel Grove will arrive and arrange a proper time for the conference. All they ask is that you arrange a time for them to speak. Have a good day, Madame President." The woman faded.

Arissa jerked awake to find her husband shaking her gently, glancing at the two press secretaries standing on the other side of the desk. "Riss? Are you okay? You just fell asleep all of a sudden. We were about to call the doctor."

"Fell asleep?" Arissa sat up and shook her head, glancing around the room. "You mean there wasn't just a woman with red hair in a purple dress in here?"

Jesse shook his head in confusion. "No. Are you okay?"

"Fine." Arissa stood up and straightened her skirt, clearing her throat. "I need to call a press conference on Wednesday. We need as great a media presence as possible."

"Certainly. What should we say is the focus of the conference?"

"The Power Rangers want to say a few words."

* * *

"That's the last of them. Do you think they will still work?" 

"They should." Kimberly picked up her old Power Coin, tears filling her eyes at the memories it brought back. "To be the Pink Ranger again . . ."

Tommy grinned as he held up the white coin and morpher. "Too bad the green coin is completely gone. I miss being the Green Ranger."

"I liked you as both, Tommy, but they will know you more as the White Ranger."

"What about Tanya? She never answered to one of these coins."

"I thought about that. Kat is going to be the Ninja Ranger since you have your original coin, and Rocky and Adam will, too, but there were three Yellow Rangers."

"What's wrong with having two Yellow Rangers? Tanya can be the Ninja Ranger and Aisha and I will simply wear the same suit." Trini closed her hand over the coin in her palm and it doubled, the second Sabertooth Tiger Coin appearing in Aisha's hand as the second Yellow Ranger moved closer to the prince and princess to see what they were talking about. Glancing at the Ninja Coin in her hand, she waved for Tanya to approach from the other side of the room. The Empath-Advisor approached the small group, leaving Kat and Zack behind to finish their argument.

"We took a vote, Tanya, and you get the Ninja Coin." Aisha handed it over and Tanya smiled, staring at the tiny piece of metal.

"Then every one has a Coin. Baliree and Alina are ready for the conference, if you two are. We've arranged a small spell to change you two, Jason, and Kat into your more royal robes for the presentation, so just relax when the rest of us change, okay?"

"We're ready when the rest of you are. Are Baliree and Alina ready to take us to Adameren Prime?"

"Yeah. Did Baliree's dream-imaging go as planned?"

"It did, Tanya Sloan," the duchess answered as she stepped into the room from thin air, easily concealing her teleport. She did it to make the Power Rangers jealous, and they knew it. "The woman was very receptive. I do not believe a man in that position would have been. Is Arissa Flacon from around here?"

"Actually, she is from Angel Grove. She wasn't here when we were Rangers, but her nieces and youngest sister were saved by the Rangers once or twice. She visited back when she was a senator and I remember that she was very nice." Kimberly smiled, remembering back to her teenage days when saving the world was her duty and she had the best boyfriend in the world. She glanced up at Tommy, smiling at the man nine inches taller than her. _"I still have the best boyfriend in the world." _

_"Now the word is technically 'fiancé', Beautiful," _Tommy reminded her, slipping an arm around her waist. "Then we're ready whenever President Falcon calls the conference. Until then, shall we go for a picnic?"

* * *

"Thank you for coming. I suppose you ten are the representatives of the Power Rangers I was told about?" 

"Eleven," a new voice answered as a tall man with sandy blonde hair and dressed in blue entered the Oval Office, eagerly greeted by the crowd of men and women. "Billy Cranston, from Angel Grove," he introduced, bowing slightly.

"Are all of you from Angel Grove?"

"We all lived there for a while," Tommy answered. "I hear from my fiancée that you and your family are from Angel Grove."

The president nodded, a small smile twitching at the edge of her lips. "My youngest sister and her children all owe their lives to the Power Rangers. I have always wanted to meet them and thank them."

"You're welcome," Kimberly answered automatically, without thinking, without any hesitation at all. All eyes turned to her, and she shrunk down, biting her lip, but she stood taller and smiled at the president. "I remember your sister and your nieces. They didn't recognize me, of course, but I remember them. And you're welcome."

Arissa Falcon's dark eyes widened and she swayed, catching herself on the chair behind her. "Oh God . . . you are the Power Rangers . . . I can't . . . you were just kids! It's just not possible . . . you were teenagers . . ."

Jason rolled his eyes. "And getting out of class isn't easy when you aren't allowed to tell the teacher that Rita Repulsa just dropped a monster in the park and Angel Grove would be flattened unless you missed one quiz."

"And Bulk and Skull didn't make it any easier with their unending quest to uncover the identities of the Power Rangers," Trini added, smiling. "If only they knew the truth. We decided that they would never believe it."

"Our current course of action implies that they will be left with little choice," Billy pointed out. "Since we are going to perform this demonstration."

"You don't have to, Billy," Adam pointed out. "You can go back to Aquitar and forget this whole thing. No one will ever know."

"Are you kidding? I was a Power Ranger for three years and part of the team for even longer. I'm not going to miss this for the world!"

Tommy, obviously the leader, smiled as all of the young men and women turned back to Arissa. "Are you ready, Madame President?"

For the first time in her life, words failed Arissa Falcon, and she just nodded.

* * *

TBC . . . I know it took a while, but here's another chapter! 


	17. The Power Rangers

**Live Like You Were Dying**

**Title:** Live Like You Were Dying  
**Author:** kazeko  
**Show: **Power Rangers  
**Rating:** PG 13  
**Chapters: **?  
**Series:** no, also no relation to "Children of the Gods"  
**Multipart:** yes  
**Time:** About a year after Power Rangers in Space, changing the Power Rangers timeline after that  
**Couple(s):** Tommy/Kimberly, Jason/Kat, Tanya/Adam  
**Disclaimer:** Saban and Disney own Power Rangers and they don't deserve it if they won't release MMPR on DVD!  
**Disclaimer 2:** I own everything else, including characters, other planets, and the plot.

* * *

Chapter 17: The Power Rangers

* * *

Arissa was shaking as she joined Jesse behind the podium, and her dark-haired husband placed a gentle hand on her arm. "Arissa?" His voice was low, years in the public arena having taught him that silence was the best defense against the ravages of the press. 

"I'm fine," she whispered back. "But you're in for quite a shock." With that, she cleared her throat and smiled as all eyes turned toward her. "First, I would like to thank you all for coming here today. I know that it was short notice, but the Power Rangers saved our planet more than once, and we owe them this. So, without any further ado, I introduce the first eleven Power Rangers."

The crowd waited, anxiously shifting their position so they could see into the White House, as a tall figure dressed in familiar white armor stepped onto the stage, the smallest Pink Ranger and her tall replacement on his heels, two each of the Red and Black Rangers, the Blue Ranger, and three Yellow Rangers following. They filled the small stage, the White Ranger taking point. He nodded, his expression hidden by his helmet, and the crowd silenced, some barely daring to breathe. Without any warning, the tall man began.

"Eight years ago, astronauts on the moon uncovered what looked like a big dumpster, and opened it, having no idea what was trapped inside. On that day, Rita Repulsa began her assault of Earth, sending monster after monster for years, desperate to reduce this planet to dust. The same day Rita was released, a force of good here on Earth, an ancient being we knew as Zordon, summoned five unlikely heroes, teenagers from Angel Grove High, to stop Rita and her heinous scheme."

"Teenagers?!" Behind their helmets, the Power Rangers smiled as a very familiar bulk of a man named Farkas Bulkmeier, more commonly known to his friends and enemies as "Bulk", his eternal and eternally thin companion, Eugene "Skull" Skullovitch, at his heels. But they were no longer the punks of their youth, years of society-friendly jobs and their current careers having changed them from the teens that harassed Kimberly at her locker and searched endlessly with the most ridiculous tools for the identity of the famous heroes. "They went to Angel Grove High?" Bulk crossed his arms over his chest and shook his head. "I don't believe it! Skull and I searched forever for their identities, the first teams, anyway, and we never . . . well, I guess that makes a little sense. The Power Rangers from that space station were kids at AGH once."

"Yes, they were. Zordon chose his teams with care, selecting teenagers because they were young enough to still be pure and innocent but old enough to understand the sacrifices being asked of them. As the older Rangers were called away to pursue other dreams, they were replaced by young men and women with equally as much courage and the desire to protect Earth. Some of us changed colors, and some of us served even without the Power, but we are all equally Power Rangers, and we think the people of Earth that depended on us for years finally learn our true identity." The White Ranger stepped back, the others fanning out on either side of him as all raised their hands to the clasps on the sides of their helmets. As the entire crowd waited, cameras and camcorders at the ready, the White Ranger unfastened his helmet and pulled it off.

Years earlier, when he did that for the first time, then-Pink Ranger Kimberly Ann Hart had fainted, overcome by the realization that her boyfriend was a Power Ranger once more. This time, it was Bulk and Skull that swayed, barely able to stay on their feet as the identity of the White Ranger was revealed at last. They had argued over whether or not they should buy plane tickets to D.C. just to see in person what every American with any sense was watching on t.v., and now they were both glad that they had spent the money.

"I'm Tommy Oliver, the Green Ranger who attacked Angel Grove while under Rita's spell, later serving beside the Rangers only to lose my powers. Zordon gave me new powers and I became the White Ranger, later trading this color in to be the Red Zeo Ranger and later the first Red Turbo Ranger. I retired, giving my position to one of the men who went on to become a Space Ranger, the last of the Power Rangers."

Before they teleported to D.C., the ex-Rangers had voted on who should be second, and Kimberly won. She had wanted Billy to go next, since he had served on more teams that she had, but he had refused, taking the third spot. Kimberly, once called the littlest Power Ranger, looked even smaller standing between Tommy and Billy as she removed her pink-and-white helmet. The cameras started flashing when her face was revealed—her sudden disappearance had been well-documented and the press wanted to know what happened to the world-famous gymnast. "I can tell that a lot of you already know who I am. My name is Kimberly Ann Hart, and I was the Pink Ranger until Coach Schmidt asked me to go to Florida and compete for a medal in gymnastics. It was my dream, so I went, but I never stopped being one of the team."

Bulk pulled Skull to the side, his eyes wide. "Little Kimberly? She was off saving the world while we were rotting in detention? I can't . . . Skull, I know who the others are. All of them."

For once, Skull understood exactly what his best friend was saying. "I know, and I think I do believe it. Remember all those inventions we made to detect the Power Rangers? Didn't they always point straight to these guys? When we were following the Power Rangers, didn't they pop up after the battle? And they were never anywhere to be found during. Even that contest so many Halloweens ago when Kimberly fainted during the last round? Bulk, she had to forfeit the prize because she was needed to go save the world. Now all those strange things make sense."

Billy was next, the ex-geek removing his helmet. He was older and definitely wiser than he had been in his Ranger days, the years on Aquitar changing him in ways his friends could only begin to understand. He no longer wore the glasses that had identified him as a nerd years earlier, and no one would dare get on his bad side now. "Billy Cranston," he introduced, smiling. "I was the Blue Ranger for three years, refusing the blue shard of the Zeo crystal and becoming an ally of the Rangers until my duty and my heart called me to Aquitar. I am only glad I could be here for this."

Jason was next, the first Red Ranger, the first leader, grinning as he removed his helmet. "Jason Lee Scott, first Red Ranger, the original leader of the Power Rangers. As many of my friends from Angel Grove know, I was chosen to attend the Peace Conference and had to leave Angel Grove and the Power Rangers to pursue my own dreams, handing my power to the second Red Ranger."

"Rocky DeSantos," the man announced, grinning as he also removed his helmet. "I arrived in Angel Grove and Zordon asked me to take Jason's place on the team when he left. I later became the Blue Zeo Ranger and had to leave the team due to an injury, giving the Turbo Powers to the young man that replaced me." One by one, the others revealed themselves, Bulk and Skull smiling and shaking their heads. They should have known, should have guessed. How could the Power Rangers have been right under their noses for so many years? Why did they never see it?

As Tanya, the last, revealed herself, Tommy stepped forward again. "I know that many of you are wondering why we finally decided to reveal our true identities after hiding for so long. Actually, it's because we were Power Rangers that we find ourselves called away from Earth, to an ally planet that needs our help. I'll let Billy explain it—he knows more about our allies than I do."

Billy stepped forward, helmet under his arm. "Years ago, before Kimberly, Zack, Jason, Trini, and I were chosen as Power Rangers, Zordon made a treaty with a distant coalition of planets called the Adamarei Alliance, protecting us from their enemies, civil wars, and any unrests in their multi-special federation. They knew that Earth was not ready then for an alliance, so they agreed to let humans wait until they were ready to approach them with an invitation to join the Alliance. In return, he would provide them with his best fighters, his Power Rangers, any and all that they needed, should they need a few once-empowered humans to help them. Though we no longer serve the Power, we were then, are now, and will forever be Power Rangers, and we have answered Duchess Baliree's plea that one of our members join Queen Anarii as her princess, since she cannot have a child of her own. Kimberly has agreed to become the Princess of Shamirin Prime, and Tommy will become the Prince." Tanya, Rocky, and Aisha each placed a flat palm on their chest, sending a tiny bit of power to envelop the pair, smiling as Kimberly changed into a beautiful princess, her silky dress colored in pale pinks and trimmed in silver, a tiny silver filigreed circled studded with tiny gems in her soft brown hair. She smiled, glancing at her jewelry as Tommy also changed, his suit white with dark silver patterns on the tunic and a heavier crown on his head, long hair pulled into a simple ponytail.

The rest of the Power Rangers, except Billy, changed into the robes that appeared when Azaemer's power enveloped them, Jason and Kat in elegant gowns the Mages had created for them. Billy then waved his hands, the robes of the Royal Court of Aquitar covering his tall form. He bowed to Tommy and Kimberly, the others following his lead as Baliree appeared on the stage, dressed in the formal robes she had worn for Arissa's dream, robes she almost never touched. She bowed to the princess, waiting for Kimberly to gesture that they could all stand before turning to face the crowd of humans. Baliree, her long red hair curled and controlled by a spectacularly intricate web of gold, thin silk ribbons, and delicate broaches, smiled at the president and her shocked husband.

"Greetings, humans of Earth. The Power Rangers have explained to you the importance of our request, why they must leave. We only asked for Kimberly, but she would not leave without Tommy, and their bonds with the rest of their friends convinced the other Rangers to follow them. They, all of them, are leaving Earth, quite possibly forever, and they wanted their chance to say goodbye to the people they love and must leave behind."

Kimberly stepped forward, taking her place as the princess, smiling. "I'm really going to miss this place, but Power Rangers are meant to help people, it's what we do best. I don't think I could continue to live a simple civilian life after all I've been through; all I've seen and done, and I know that my friends feel the same. After I gave up my powers, I went through the worst depression you could ever imagine, a withdrawal no one can understand. And now I'm ready to go to Shamirin Prime and become the princess Queen Anarii needs. We will leave a transmitter here in case Earth ever decides that it is ready to join our federation, and our agents here will know if you are. We called this Press Conference because we wanted to say good-bye to the people we protected for so long."

"Wait!" A brilliant white light filled the stage, causing the Mages to step back, fading to reveal eight men and women that the ex-Rangers knew very well. TJ Johnson, Justin Stewart, Carlos Valerte, Cassie Chan, Ashley Hammond, Andros, Karone, and Zhane. TJ, the tallest Ranger, crossed his arms over his chest and glared at Tommy. "You weren't going to leave without giving us a mailing address, were you?"

Tommy grinned as he took TJ's hand, all of the ex-Rangers shaking hands and embracing before the two groups separated. "Of course not." Tommy held out a pair of devices that very closely resembled his old communicator, handing one to TJ and one to Andros. "We figured that you guys would come when you heard that the Power Rangers wanted to talk. You guys all did such a wonderful job protecting the Earth, especially in the end, and I know that you will be ready if the need should ever arise."

TJ straightened, taking the communicator as Andros accepted its partner. "We will. And good luck on Shamirin Prime." The second group of Rangers bowed, smiling as Tommy and Kimberly gestured for them to rise. "Oh, and invite us to the wedding."

"We will," Kimberly promised, placing her tiny hand on Baliree's shoulder. "It's time to go," she whispered.

"Good luck," Bulk called, smiling as he and Skull waved at the group. Kimberly laughed and touched her fingers to her lips, blowing a kiss to the pair as the eleven ex-Rangers and the Duchess vanished, gone from Earth forever. Arissa Falcon stared at the half-empty stage, her eyes flying to the second group of ex-Rangers, and she wondered what it would take to make Earth a member of an interstellar alliance.

TJ turned to Andros, Ashley, Karone, Zhane, Cassie, Carlos, and Justin, glancing at the watch in his hands. "I think this calls for a celebration. After all, it's not every day that the first Pink Ranger is declared princess of an entire alliance of planets."

"I concur," Andros smiled, fastening the communicator around his wrist. "Besides, KO-35 has applied for membership in the Adamarei Alliance and was accepted earlier today. Kimberly will be my princess very soon. I think a party is in order."

* * *

TBC 


	18. Queen Anarii

**Live Like You Were Dying**

**Title:** Live Like You Were Dying  
**Author:** kazeko  
**Show: **Power Rangers  
**Rating:** PG 13  
**Chapters: **18, unfinished  
**Series:** no, also no relation to "Children of the Gods"  
**Multipart:** yes  
**Time:** About a year after Power Rangers in Space, changing the Power Rangers timeline after that  
**Couple(s):** Tommy/Kimberly, Jason/Kat, Tanya/Adam  
**Disclaimer:** Saban and Disney own Power Rangers and they don't deserve it if they won't release MMPR on DVD!  
**Disclaimer 2:** I own everything else, including characters, other planets, and the plot.

* * *

Chapter 18: Queen Anarii

* * *

Anarii sighed as she stared at the holograph, no longer absorbing the thousands of meaningless reports streaming past her nose. Who cared, anyway? None of them were more than minor diplomatic arguments, something the region Duchess could deal with. Speaking of, where was the Duchess of Azareth? 

"Your impatience astounds me," Baliree's voice scolded as she appeared in the throne room, dressed in finery she usually refused to wear, ten young men and women behind her. Anarii stood, eyes locked on the small woman dressed in silver and pink, a tiara on her head, knowing that the brunette was her chosen heir. She was smiling, joy radiating off her in waves, and the queen knew that she and her boyfriend had reunited in the days since Baliree left for Earth. "Alina found our little princess for us."

Anarii raised an eyebrow, briefly ignoring the humans as she glared at her friend. "I swear, Bali, you're cruel. That girl would do anything for you, but you won't ask her to marry you! If you tease her much longer, I might invite her here."

Baliree snorted and crossed her arms over her chest. "Shows what you know." She stepped aside, revealing the last visitor, a slender woman with strawberry blonde hair and sparkling silver eyes, wearing the silks of a Duchess herself, hair curled and barely restrained, an emerald-studded ear cuff hugging the top of her right ear. "She already accepted my proposal."

"Bali! That's wonderful! Alina, I'm so happy for you."

"Thank you, Your Majesty," the scout whispered, bowing her head. "But I think you should meet your new family." She pulled Kimberly to the front, Tommy by her side, and smiled. "I introduce Kimberly Ann Hart, who has accepted the position of Crown Princess of the Adamarei Alliance, and her fiancé Tommy Oliver, who agrees to train as Prince so that he may aid your daughter in her duties when she takes the throne."

"Welcome to Shamirin Prime," Anarii smiled, taking Kimberly's hand. "I can see your fire, anaah, and I am glad you came here of your own free will. I know that you left a great deal behind in order to help us, and I am glad that you came."

"Thank you," Kimberly whispered, bowing her head. "This is Tommy. Baliree told us that you researched all of the former Power Rangers, so you know about him."

"Indeed I do." Anarii shifted her attention and took the taller man's hand. "You were legendary through the Alliance for your courage and your purity of heart. Very few men or women could have been truly evil and then completely abandon that path without a backward glance in order to fight Rita and Zedd. Your struggle as the Green Ranger and your reward of the White Ranger Powers are an inspiration to the warriors of the Alliance, reminding even the smallest of children that evil can always be denied."

Tommy ducked his head, unused to such complements. "Thank you, Majesty."

"Call me Anarii. You're my son now and I will not tolerate such formality." She looked over his shoulder, counting the other humans as Kimberly and Tommy moved to stand by her side. She sensed Shamirin power from them, power that Kimberly and Tommy did not have yet. "You are the other Rangers, aren't you? Jason Lee Scott, Zachary Taylor, Trini Kwan, Rocky DeSantos, Katherine Hilliard, Adam Park, Aisha Campbell, and Tanya Sloan. But you have power . . . humans don't have that sort of power."

"It came from an old Shamirin Mage," Aisha whispered, despair unexpectedly lacing her voice. "He decided that his powers would be safer with us, after what happened. We can't tell you what happened, Majesty, but afterwards we asked Kimberly and Tommy if we could come with them. After all we've been through together, we couldn't let them leave for a new life alone. I hope you don't mind."

"Of course not! I would have invited all of you, but I didn't have the power to turn all of you into Shamirii. But the power you two hold, Jason and Katherine, is not the same as the power from the old Mage." She turned to the Warrior-Seer dressed in fiery red and his Midwife-Empath partner clad in dark pink. "Warrior-Seer? Baliree, isn't your oldest half sister a Warrior with Seer tendencies? And you are a Diplomat-Empath, your mother a true Midwife. You and your sister gave them their powers, didn't you?"

Baliree smiled, wrapping an arm around her fiancée's waist. "I told them that Tariile and I had enough power for two Mages. We had to stop off on Nariit Minor so I could get the cuff for Alina, and Tarii was home for once. Ergo, two more Mages. All you have to do is pass power onto Kimberly and Tommy."

"Not yet. I have decided to wait until the wedding. However, it is not yet completely planned, the entrance of Kayoohthrifiiv into the Alliance tying up most of my advisors."

"Kayoohthrifiiv?" Tommy raised one eyebrow, trying to decipher the queen's lilting accent. "Do you mean KO-35, Andros's planet?"

"I suppose that is how your people would say it. Andros . . . the Ranger? I believe he was named Ambassador to the Royal Court at the signing. I'm glad that a former Ranger was chosen; I know that I can trust him. Now, all ten of you need to come with me and help me get ready for the biggest and most beautiful wedding this Alliance has ever seen. All of the Royals and Ambassadors will be there, and there will be dozens of live holo-feeds to every planet in the Alliance. It will be magnificent." Anarii wrapped one arm around Kimberly and the other around Tommy as she led the pair deeper into the palace, their friends following.

As soon as the group was gone, Baliree waved her hand, turning the holo-reader to face her as she rearranged the messages by Region and sent most of them to the Duchesses. The Queen was too busy to deal with such common matters. After all of the messages were sent away, only one was left. Aquitar had applied to join the Alliance. Alina read the message over her future wife's shoulder. "Aquitar? Why now, all of a sudden? Bali love, I thought that they turned down our offer five times already. I wonder what changed."

"What else? They heard about our new princess. Billy Cranston was one of the first five Power Rangers."

"Ah. I will send the royals of Aquitar an invitation to the wedding, then. I would not break up such old and dear friends." Alina quickly drafted the message and sent it, letting the computer sign for Queen Anarii and Duchess Baliree. She turned the holo-unit off, putting the system in standby, and turned to face her fiancée. "Bali, love, what shall we do now? It will be a week until the wedding, at the least, more if Anarii decides to travel to Aquitar to admit them into the Alliance."

Baliree took Alina's delicate hand and kissed it gently. "I can think of a few good ways to spend the time, beloved. You and I have a Joining of our own to plan. What kind of wedding did you want?"

"Just a simple ceremony with our families. I don't need all of the formalities that Tommy and Kimberly's wedding requires. All I need is you."

Baliree descended from the throne, leading Alina out of the huge room and toward her room in the palace, ignoring the servants and guards they passed along the way. "So sweet, alahrah. I think we can invite our families, the queen, and the new Mages. Is there anyone else, beloved?"

"No. But, I want to visit somewhere first. Come with me, please."

"I would follow you anywhere."

* * *

"Alina ni'Tayiessru? Lady, I did not expect to see you. Doctor ni'Miyaferrh is busy, but she will be available in just a moment." 

Alina nodded at the nurse, leading Baliree to one of the small couches in the waiting room. The hospital was large and well-furnished, its prosperity due to its reputation and the fact that it boasted one of the most powerful Medic-Midwife Mages in the Alliance. Baliree looked around, having changed into simpler clothes so that she would not be recognized, fingers twined with Alina's. "Why are we here, Alina?"

"You'll see when Rimiara finishes with her patient. She always has time for me. She considers me her special case, since my mothers were the first women she helped have a child. She perfected a procedure that tended to burn out the birth mother or render the child completely magic-less, and now lesbian couples of many different races throughout the Alliance can have the children they always wanted."

"I see. Why are we here?"

"You'll see, my love."

"Alina! There you are, child!" A smiling woman with silvery blonde hair entered the waiting area, hugging Alina and smiling at Baliree. She only looked to be one hundred years old, though Bali knew that she was more than three centuries old. "And what is this? An ear cuff? Alina! How wonderful! Is this the lucky woman?"

"Of course. Rimiara ni'Miyaferrh, meet Baliree ni'Kijarifaule, my fiancée."

"Baliree ni'Kijarifaule? Duchess of Azareth Region? Wow, Alina. Congratulations." Rimiara smiled and bowed to Baliree, gently steering the pair into the nearest examination room. "So, Alina, what brings the two of you here?"

"I . . . we . . . we've been talking off and on about getting married and having a family, and since we're going to get married very soon, I want to start that family."

"Alahrah? Are you saying what I think you're saying?"

Alina nodded. "Bali, I want to have your baby. And Rimiara is the best woman to help with that. If . . . if you want to."

Baliree smiled and leaned down, kissing her lover. "Of course I want to. Our child, the truest proof of our love? But you have to promise that you'll never go scouting again among the primitive races. I worry so when you're out there and I cannot contact you."

"I promise, Alahrhaah. I'll never leave your side again."

Rimiara smiled and held out her hand. "Then we had better get started on that girl, hm? Come on, Alina; let's get you pregnant."

"That's not something you hear everyday."

* * *

To be continued 


End file.
